Workability, microstructure, strength properties and durability properties of graphene oxide reinforced cement paste

ABSTRACT

Graphene oxide (GO) is one of the prominent nanomaterial, this has been utilised in the cement composite materials. Graphene oxide represents unprecedented range of properties with a potential to enhance the strength and toughness of cement-based composites. In this study, the influence of graphene oxide was evaluated on the workability, microstructure, strength and durability properties of the fresh and hardened cement composites. Different percentages of graphene oxide were added at 0wt%, 0.01wt%, 0.02wt%, 0.03wt% and 0.04wt% by weight of cement. Workability in terms of fluidity, setting time and viscosity tests were conducted to the fresh GO-cement paste samples. Compressive and flexural strength tests were conducted to the hardened GO-cement paste samples at 28 days. Through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), morphology and microstructure of hardened cement paste were investigated and XRD technique was assisted in identifying the crystalline materials and studying the phase composition of cement composites. Results exhibited that, graphene oxide addition increases the viscosity, decreases the fluidity and shortens the setting time of the cement paste. Increased compressive and flexural strength results were appeared due to the addition of graphene oxide at different dosages. At 0.04wt% of graphene oxide dosage, the compressive strength was increased by 46.6% and flexural strength was increased by 75% than normal cement paste at 28 days. Water permeability of the cement composite specimens was highly reduced due to the graphene oxide reinforced infiltration barrier, which leads to the improvement in durability.

KEYWORDS:

• Graphene oxide (GO)
• cement
• workability
• SEM
• XRD
• Strength and Durability

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to centre of excellence for permitting to do SEM and XRD analysis for materials and also thanking to the Vignan’s Foundation for Science, Technology and Research (Deemed to be University) for their financial support for this research work and lab facility during our research work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Chandra Sekhar Reddy Indukuri

Chandra Sekhar Reddy Indukuri is a Research Scholar of Department of Civil Engineering at Vignan's Foundation for Science, Technology and Research (Deemed to be University), Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 522213, India. He is graduated his Bachelors degree in Civil Engineering and Masters in Structural Engineering from Universal College of Engineering & Technology, Guntur, India.

Ruben Nerella

Dr. Ruben Nerella received his B.Tech. in Civil Engineering from JNTUA; M.Tech and Ph.D. from National Institute of Technology, Warnagal, Telangana. He is currently working as Associate Professor and Head of Civil Engineering at Vignan's Foundation for Science, Technology and Research (Deemed to be University), Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 522213, India.

Sri Rama Chand Madduru

Dr. Sri Rama Chand Madduru received his B. Tech in Civil Engineering from Acharya Nagarjuna University; M. Tech in Structural Engineering and PhD in Civil Engineering from National Institute of Technology, Warangal, Telangana. He is an Associate Professor in Sree Chaitanya College of Engineering, Karimnagar, Telangana. His research areas includes self compacting concrete, self curing concrete and structural dyanamics.