Status : Verified
| Personal Name | Ramos, Ma. Louise Margaret A. |
|---|---|
| Resource Title | Graphene - modified concrete: Its properties and microstructure |
| Date Issued | 27 June 2019 |
| Abstract | The properties of concrete are known to be very dependent on its microstructure. By altering this microstructure, the strength and capacity of concrete may be enhanced. In this research, a constant concentration of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) by weight of cement were added into the usual concrete mix, at varying water-to-cement ratios, to evaluate its effect on the mechanical and transport properties and investigate the changes in its microstructure. The potential of incorporating GNP in concrete was evident from the enhancements obtained particularly for those samples with low water-to-cement ratio. The hydration of the concrete samples was observed to accelerate which may be verified from the gathered increases on their early strengths. This accelerated hydration was proven by the graphs generated from Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) wherein no significant increases on the final amount of hydration products were recorded. For samples with high water-to-cement ratio, porosity increased, implying that graphene nanoplatelets may cause formation of a poorer pore structure. Likewise, its resistance to chloride penetration was observed to improve only for those samples with low water-to-cement ratio. Photos from Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) confirmed that addition of GNP in a matrix with high water content may increase the volume of pores present in the concrete structure as these nanoplatelets tend to crumple or fold. For low water contents, on the other hand, addition of GNP increased the strength properties and improved the durability of concrete samples by demonstrating their ability to mitigate initiation of cracks and fill in pores as they tend to form a link in between, thus, promoting a denser structure and an efficient distribution of stresses inside the matrix |
| Degree Course | Master of Science in Civil Engineering (Structural) |
| Language | English |
| Keyword | Graphene, Mechanical Properties, Transport Properties, Microstructure |
| Material Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
Preliminary Pages
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