Investigation of the changes in properties and microstructure of graphene oxide-modified cement pastes due to hydrochloric acid attack

Abstract

This study examined the influence of graphene oxide (GO) dosage on the properties and microstructure of cement pastes against hydrochloric acid (HCl) attack. The mass loss (and sectional area loss) in 0 and 0.09 wt% GO-modified cement specimens after HCl attack were 6.1% and 4.2% (and 8% and 4.7%), respectively. These specimen losses decreased with an increasing GO dosage. The GO inclusion up to 0.09 wt% in cement paste significantly absorbs the free water and increased the viscosity to 13.7 folds, in comparison to control mix (i.e. without any GO). However, such GO inclusion densified the cement microstructure and further inhibited the decalcification-induced shrinkage cracks propagating because of the HCl attack. The cement zone in all samples altered by the HCl attack was found to be occupied with alumina-silica hydrogel. Overall, this study recommends the potential use of GO in the manufacturing of concrete storage structures operating in acidic environments.

Keywords:

• Portland cement
• graphene oxide
• acid attack
• calcium leaching
• deterioration
• microstructure

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to acknowledge the Ingenium Organization of the Technische Universität Darmstadt, which funded Murugan Muthu on his two Postdoc Career Scholarship Programs at the TU Darmstadt: 2017 ‘Future Talents’ Postdoc Career Days and Career Bridging Grants. The authors also thank Professor En-Hua Yang of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, in allowing to conduct of the calorimeter and rheometer tests.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.