Carbon nanotube-cement composites : a retrospect

S. J. Chen, F. G. Collins, A. J. N. Macleod, Z. Pan, W. H. Duan, C. M. Wang

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    159 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Although ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is widely used in the construction industry, its weak tensile strength, to some extent, limits its application. A carbon nanotube (CNT), on the other hand, has outstanding mechanical properties with a tensile strength of 63 GPa and Young's modulus of 1 TPa, making it a candidate as nano-scale reinforcements in OPC. Past research studies have reported improved mechanical and electrical properties of carbon nanotube-ordinary Portland cement (CNT-OPC) composites, which show future promise in practical civil engineering applications. In this study, recent research studies in developing CNT-OPC composites are comprehensively reviewed. Highlighted herein are the considerable efforts been made in the study of fabrication, hydration, porosity and transport properties of the CNT-OPC composites. There are, however, future investigations needed to provide a better understanding in the areas of uniform dispersion of CNTs within the OPC paste, durability, impact, fatigue properties and the theoretical modelling of CNT-OPC interaction.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)254-265
    Number of pages12
    JournalIES Journal. Part A, Civil and Structural Engineering
    Volume4
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2011

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Carbon nanotube-cement composites : a retrospect'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this