Rheological Properties of Carbon Nanotube Infused Cementitious Composites with Various Amounts of CNT

Abstract

The addition of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which are hydrophobic materials, significantly influences the rheology of cementitious materials but requires important mix modifications in order to provide proper flowability for further use. This paper investigates the influence of various dosages of carbon nanotubes (0.05 wt.%, 0.1 wt.%, 0.2 wt.%, 0.5 wt.%, and 1 wt.%) on the flowability, rheological parameters, air content, and volume density of cement mortars. The results show an increase in the yield stress parameter with an increment in CNT dosage up to the threshold of 0.5 wt.% for mixes with an increased amount of cement. For standard proportions, it was on a stable level for all mixes except for 0.2 wt.%. The plastic viscosity parameter also increased with the CNT dosage; mixes with standard proportions of components were not higher than the reference, and mixes with an increased amount of cement were lower than the reference for dosages up to 0.5 wt.% of CNT. The addition of a superplasticizer and modifications of the ratio of the components were employed to achieve proper flowability and measure the rheological parameters. The presented results show that regardless of the negative influence of carbon nanotubes on the properties of fresh mortar, it is possible to achieve a stable flow and workability using simple modifications of the composition.