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Carbon-Based Nanomaterials-Engineered Cementitious Composites

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2024 | Viewed by 3243

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Fulin Qu

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
Interests: the novel, sustainable, carbon-negative construction materials; the durability of cementitious materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Dong Zhang

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College of Civil Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, China
Interests: high-performance concrete; sustainable cementitious composites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Dong Lu

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Guest Editor

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
Dr. Dong Lu
Guest Editors

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Keywords

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 4333 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multidimensional Transport Experiment and Simulation of Chloride Ions in Concrete Subject to Simulated Dry and Wet Cycles in a Marine Environment

by Hao Xu, Zixi He, Jianxin Li and Shuangxi Zhou

Materials 2023, 16(22), 7185; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16227185 - 16 Nov 2023

Viewed by 616

Abstract

Chloride ion erosion is an important factor affecting the durability of marine engineering concrete. In particular, concrete structures in wave splash and tidal zones are subjected to dry and wet cycles and multidimensional diffusion of chloride ions. To investigate the intricate diffusion of chloride ions within concrete under these dynamic conditions, we devised a comprehensive experiment. This experiment encompasses multiple dimensions, involving dry and wet cycles, as well as static immersion. The experiment intends to reveal how chloride ions are distributed in the concrete and clarify the changes that occur in its microstructure. Based on Fick’s second law, the multidimensional diffusion model of chloride ions in concrete under the dry and wet cycles and static immersion was established by comprehensively considering the effects of chloride ion exposure time, environment temperature, relative humidity, and the action of dry and wet cycles. The results show that, under the same conditions, the chloride content in concrete decreases with the increase in penetration depth but increases with the increase in the chloride diffusion dimension and exposure time. Dry and wet cycles and multidimensional diffusion of chloride ions increase the development of cracks and pores in the concrete structure and generate large quantities of C₃A·CaCl₂·10H₂O, which will exacerbate the chloride ion transport rate and penetration depth of concrete. Under the same exposure time and penetration depth, the chloride ion content in concrete under two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) diffusion under dry and wet cycles was 1.09~4.08 times higher than that under one-dimensional (1D) diffusion. The correlation coefficients between the simulation results of the multidimensional transport model of chloride ions in concrete under multi-factor coupling and the experimental results were all greater than 0.95, and the model can be utilized to predict the distribution of chloride ion concentration in concrete. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Nanomaterials-Engineered Cementitious Composites)

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15 pages, 4005 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mass GGBFS Concrete Mixed with Recycled Aggregates as Alkali-Active Substances: Workability, Temperature History and Strength

by Yanlin Huo, Jinguang Huang, Xiaoyu Han, Huayang Sun, Tianan Liu, Jingya Zhou and Yingzi Yang

Materials 2023, 16(16), 5632; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16165632 - 15 Aug 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1030

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 (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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27 pages, 6311 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research and Development of Self-Waterproofing Concrete for Tunnel Lining Structure and Its Impermeability and Crack Resistance Characteristics

by Huayun Li, Anxiang Zhou, Yangfan Wu, Lai Deng, Kaicheng Zhu and Feng Lu

Materials 2023, 16(16), 5557; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16165557 - 10 Aug 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1093

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 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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