An Experimental Study on Graphite/Graphene Nano Particles in Reinforced Concrete

Abstract

In the recent years, due to increase in population, construction demand has increased and the trend is still rising. Nearly 10% of all carbon emissions come from construction industry. Concrete is a fundamental material used in almost every type of construction, but one of its main constituents, “cement” due to its intensive manufacturing process causes increase in temperature. Due to concerns of high rising temperature the research community started searching for novel methods to substitute the cement with “greener” additive whilst at the same time improving the intrinsic properties of concrete. A novel and truly revolutionary method of enhancing the performance of concrete, thus allowing for decreased consumption of raw materials, lies in nano-engineering the cement crystals responsible for the development of all mechanical properties of concrete in this study graphene nano particles were added in the conventional concrete. Graphene is the most promising nanomaterial for composites’ reinforcement to this date, due to it’s exceptional strength and toughness and its unique ability to retain original shape after strain, water impermeability properties and thereby enhance the ductility and fracture toughness of the resultant matrix. In this study, 28 days cured GNPs nano-reinforced concrete specimens were tested to check the compressive, split tensile and flexure strength under strain controlled Universal Testing Machine (UTM). Some non destructive tests were also performed to check the quality of GNPs reinforced concrete. Test results reveal that the strength, ductility, and fracture toughness can be improved with the addition of GNPs. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to verify the involved strengthening mechanisms encompassing crack bridging and crack branching effects of inducted GNPs. In general, all experimental results show a consistent improvement in concrete’s performance when enhanced with graphene. The nanomaterial improves the mechanical interlocking of cement crystal, thus strengthening the internal bonds of the composite matrix.