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Special Issue "Carbon-Based Nanomaterials-Engineered Cementitious Composites"

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction and Building Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2023 | Viewed by 1150

Special Issue Editors

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
Interests: smart concrete; low-carbon/carbon-negative cementitious composites

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Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
Interests: smart cementitious composites; sustainable construction materials; smart pavement structure

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cement concrete is the most widely used man-made material in civil engineering; however, its inherently quasi-brittle behaviour has limited its structural application. Furthermore, the cement or concrete industry has high levels of energy consumption and a substantial environmental footprint. Over the past decade, advancements in nanotechnology and nanomaterials have provided invaluable opportunities to improve the microstructure of cementitious composites at the nanoscale. This could trigger a substantial economic benefit and alleviate the undesirable impacts of carbon emissions on the ecological environment. Although carbon-based nanomaterials (CNMs) demonstrate great potential in cement modification, their broad application is still limited due to their poor dispersion quality and the controversial understanding of the effects of CNMs on cement hydration. Notwithstanding the enormous efforts of academic researchers and industry, a general solution for the efficient use of CNMs remains open. This Special Issue plans to give an overview of the most recent advances in CNMs-modified cementitious composites and provide selected contributions on advances in their development and applications. Potential topics include but are not limited to: cementitious composites; smart concrete; carbon-based nanomaterials; dispersion; cement hydration; durability; the role of nanomaterials in cementitious composites; and future perspectives for nanomaterials-modified cementitious composites.

Dr. Fulin Qu
Dr. Dong Zhang
Guest Editors

Dong Lu
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • nanoscience
  • nanotechnology
  • cementitious composites
  • smart concrete
  • carbon-based nanomaterials
  • dispersion
  • cement hydration
  • durability
  • microstructure
  • reinforcing mechanisms

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

Article
Mass GGBFS Concrete Mixed with Recycled Aggregates as Alkali-Active Substances: Workability, Temperature History and Strength
Materials 2023, 16(16), 5632; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16165632 - 15 Aug 2023
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Abstract
This study provides the results of an experiment on the possibility of using high-volume ground granulated blast furnace slag (HVGGBFS)-based concrete as mass concrete. In addition to the control concrete, the total weight of the binder was 75% ground granulated blast furnace slag [...] Read more.
This study provides the results of an experiment on the possibility of using high-volume ground granulated blast furnace slag (HVGGBFS)-based concrete as mass concrete. In addition to the control concrete, the total weight of the binder was 75% ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) and 25% ordinary Portland cement (OPC). For the aggregates, both natural and recycled aggregates were used. Three specimens with dimensions of 800 mm × 800 mm × 800 mm were prepared to simulate mass concrete. The workability, temperature aging and strength of the mass concrete were tested. The test results showed that utilizing HVGGBFS concrete as mass concrete can significantly reduce the heat of hydration due to the low heat of hydration of GGBFS, while the heat of hydration of GGBFS and recycled aggregate combination is 11.2% higher than normal concrete, with a slump that is 31.3% lower than that of plain concrete. The results also showed that the use of recycled aggregates in HVGGBFS concrete can significantly reduce workability. However, the compressive strength is higher than when natural aggregates are used due to the alkali activation effect caused by the recycled aggregates. The compressive strength at 7 and 28 days increased by 33.7% and 16.3%, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Nanomaterials-Engineered Cementitious Composites)
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Article
Research and Development of Self-Waterproofing Concrete for Tunnel Lining Structure and Its Impermeability and Crack Resistance Characteristics
Materials 2023, 16(16), 5557; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16165557 - 10 Aug 2023
Viewed by 389
Abstract
This research paper systematically investigates the combined influence of fly ash, cementitious capillary crystalline waterproofing (CCCW) materials, and polypropylene fibers on the mechanical properties and impermeability of concrete through comprehensive orthogonal tests. Microscopic morphological changes in the concrete induced by different composite materials [...] Read more.
This research paper systematically investigates the combined influence of fly ash, cementitious capillary crystalline waterproofing (CCCW) materials, and polypropylene fibers on the mechanical properties and impermeability of concrete through comprehensive orthogonal tests. Microscopic morphological changes in the concrete induced by different composite materials are examined via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) testing. The objective is to facilitate a beneficial synergetic interaction among these materials to develop highly permeable, crack-resistant concrete. Key findings of this study are: (1) The study unveils the impact of the concentration of three additive materials on the concrete’s compressive strength, tensile strength, and penetration height, thereby outlining their significant influence on the mechanical properties and impermeability of the concrete; (2) An integrated scoring method determined the optimal composite dosage of three materials: 15% fly ash, 2% CCCW, and polypropylene fibers at 1.5 kg/m3. This combination increased the concrete’s compressive strength by 12.5%, tensile strength by 48.4%, and decreased the average permeability height by 63.6%; (3) The collective introduction of these three materials notably augments the hydration reaction of the cement, resulting in denser concrete microstructure, enhanced bonding between fibers and matrix, and improved concrete strength and durability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Nanomaterials-Engineered Cementitious Composites)
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