Influence of Powder and Liquid Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes on Hydration and Dispersion of the Cementitious Composites

• Main Authors: Gun-Cheol Lee, Youngmin Kim, Seongwon Hong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-11-01
• Series: Applied Sciences
• Subjects: dispersion; multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT); porosity; scanning electron; self-sensing concrete; silica fume
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/21/7948

Two types of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), powder and liquid, were added to cementitious composites to build self-sensing concrete. To properly evaluate and quantify the effect of MWCNTs on electrical resistance, various tests, including isothermal conduction calorimetry, were carried out. One of primary issues of self-monitoring concrete is dispersion, so ultrasonication was used to properly mix the CNTs in the dispersion solution, and silica fume was employed to make the specimens. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, and porosity analyses were performed to investigate the physical properties of the composites and to confirm uniform dispersion. The distance of the electrical resistance was also measured, and the dosages and types of MWCNTs were analyzed.