Improvement of Cementitious Binders by Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

To improve the mechanical properties of building materials carbonnanotubes (CNTs) were incorporated into normal concretes, high andultra-high performance concretes as well as into model systems. Besidestheir outstanding mechanical properties CNTs are a very promisingreinforcement material for composites because of their high aspectratio, high resistance to corrosion and low specific weight.Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) showed an influence on thehydration of binders and their macro- and microscopic mechanicalproperties. The effects of the nanostructures on the hydration, thecomposition and the micro- and nanostructure of the composite wereinvestigated by the use of the in situ x-ray powder diffraction,isothermal calorimetric measurements, an ultrasonic method, imagingmethods and the grid nanoindentation technique. The results show thatthe MWCNTs influence the hydration, the microstructure and are leadingto improved mechanical properties of the composite. This presentationshows thermal analysis and porosimetry data of samples prepared withMWCNTs.