An Elucidative Review of the Nanomaterial Effect on the Durability and Calcium-Silicate-Hydrate (C-S-H) Gel Development of Concrete

Abstract

Concrete as a building material is susceptible to degradation by environmental threats such as thermal diffusion, acid and sulphate infiltration, and chloride penetration. Hence, the inclusion of nanomaterials in concrete has a positive effect in terms of promoting its mechanical strength and durability performance, as well as resulting in energy savings due to reduced cement consumption in concrete production. This review article discussed the novel advances in research regarding C-S-H gel promotion and concrete durability improvement using nanomaterials. Basically, this review deals with topics relevant to the influence of nanomaterials on concrete’s resistance to heat, acid, sulphate, chlorides, and wear deterioration, as well as the impact on concrete microstructure and chemical bonding. The significance of this review is a critical discussion on the cementation mechanism of nanoparticles in enhancing durability properties owing to their nanofiller effect, pozzolanic reactivity, and nucleation effect. The utilization of nanoparticles enhanced the hydrolysis of cement, leading to a rise in the production of C-S-H gel. Consequently, this improvement in concrete microstructure led to a reduction in the number of capillary pores and pore connectivity, thereby improving the concrete’s water resistance. Microstructural and chemical evidence obtained using SEM and XRD indicated that nanomaterials facilitated the formation of cement gel either by reacting pozzolanically with portlandite to generate more C-S-H gel or by functioning as nucleation sites. Due to an increased rate of C-S-H gel formation, concrete enhanced with nanoparticles exhibited greater durability against heat damage, external attack by acids and sulphates, chloride diffusion, and surface abrasion. The durability improvement following nanomaterial incorporation into concrete can be summarised as enhanced residual mechanical strength, reduced concrete mass loss, reduced diffusion coefficients for thermal and chloride, improved performance against sulphates and acid attack, and increased surface resistance to abrasion.

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Durability Enhancement of Concrete with Recycled Concrete Aggregate: The Role of Nano-ZnO

“…Nanomaterials like nano-SiO 2 , nano-TiO 2 , nano-ZnO, carbon nanotubes, and many other materials have been used in various fields like medical applications, the food industry, electronics manufacturing, construction, and many other fields [26,27]. The implementation of nano-zinc oxide (nano-ZnO) in normal concrete has been discussed in a few studies, with most indicating its efficiency in enhancing concrete's mechanical and durability properties [28,29]. In a study by Arbabi et al [30], when cement was replaced with 0.25-3.5 wt.% ZnO, the strength of concrete showed a maximum increase of 18.7% when using 0.5 wt.% ZnO.…”