Synergistic effect of hybrid carbon nanomaterials on physico mechanical properties of cementitious nanocomposites

Abstract

newlineCement mortar is a prominent construction material worldwide and is the basis of a range of newlinecivil engineering infrastructures. But it is prone to several limitations such as low physicomechanical newlinestrength, quasi brittleness, cracking phenomenon, high permeability, and porous newlinemicrostructural features. To overcome these drawbacks, previous researchers have utilized newlinevarious conventional materials (such as steel fibers, glass fibers, polypropylene fibers, and newlinecarbon fibers, etc.) as reinforcing agents in the cement mortar. However, the reinforcing newlinebehavior of such materials is limited up to micro-level or macro-level, and the origination of newlinecracks at nano-level persists in the cement mortar matrix. newlineNanotechnology has emerged as a promising approach for the utilization of nano-sized newlinereinforcements in cement-based materials. Carbon Nanomaterials (CNs) such as 1-D Carbon newlineNanotubes (CNTs) and 2-D Graphene Oxide (GO) possess extraordinary mechanical properties. newlineOwing to their high surface area, high aspect ratio, and excellent mechanical properties, carbon newlinenanomaterials provide extra dimensions at the interface to interact with the cementitious matrix. newlineIn spite of these advantages, there are few limitations to their use in the cementitious matrix, newlinesuch as poor dispersion of CNs in the alkaline cement pore solution. In view of the above newlinediscussion, the possible ways to enhance the dispersion of carbon nanomaterials could be the newlinecovalent functionalization of CNs or the dispersion of the CNs by superplasticizer. Another newlinemethod that can be opted is the utilization of hybrid carbon nanomaterials as nanoreinforcements newline(i.e., FCNTs and GO) in the cementitious matrix to envisage their synergistic newlineeffect. newlineAnother aspect that has been presented in this investigation is the utilization of supplementary newlinecementitious materials (SCMs) as partial replacement of cement in the cement mortars to reduce newlinethe cost. The production of cement leads to the emission of a large amount of anthropogenic newlineCO2, a greenhouse gas. The utilization of SC