Effect of Graphene Oxide on Microstructure Mechanical and Durability Properties of Cement Composite Material

Abstract

Now a days, the demand of multi-functioning concrete is rising in order to meet up the advanced structural challenges. Generally, in hardened cement paste the hydration crystals such as ettringite (Aft), monosulfonate (AFm) calcium hydroxide (CH) are generated with rod-like and needle-like formation. Due to this formation, voids are developed causing brittleness problem in hardened cement composite. Mostly all of the previous toughening strategies concentrated on the utilization of various reinforcing materials (metal bars, steel fibers, carbon fibers, polymer fibers and mineral fibers) to improve the brittleness and flexural strength of the cement composites. These cement composites show an excessive compressive strength but, still exhibited brittleness property with less flexural strength. newlineIn this thesis, the advanced as well as improved properties of cement composite with modified graphene and its derivatives are analyses and discussed. It has been known by the researchers that the cement when mixed with graphene and its derivatives such as Graphene Oxide (GO), Graphene Nano Platelets (GNPS) and Reduced Graphene Oxide (RGO) shows a rapid improvement in its compressive and flexural strength. The usage of Nano particles in cement drew attention of the researchers, because nano particles directly interact with the bond of the cement particles. In addition, graphene shows its quality in hydration rate, setting time, heat of hydration, workability, thermal and chloride diffusivity and crack repairing. newlineIn this study, to improve the toughness of the cement composite, one of the nano materials used was Graphene oxide (GO). It is synthesized in laboratory from less expensive graphite powder in huge quantities by Modified Hummers method. In this thesis, the performance of graphene oxide (GO) to better multi-functional mechanical and durability properties of cement composite were analyzed and discussed and it is incorporated in cement composite at 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.03% and 0.04% to the weight of cement. newline