Investigation on the Properties of Cement Mortar Modified With Micro and Nano Carbon Fibers

Abstract

With the introduction of nanotechnology, the material properties of the concrete industry, allow engineer and architect the ability to use various materials in structure applications that were once impossible. Nanotechnology (Nano carbon fiber and Nano tube) creates new possibilities to improve material properties for civil construction and special focus in this area is put on Portland cement and gypsum. Carbon fiber (Microscale to Nanoscale) is typically a highly effective pozzilonic material, normally consisting of very fine vitreous particles approximately 1000 times smaller than overage cement particles. The use of nano-structured materials in mortar can add many benefits that are directly related to durability of these materials, beside the merit that it is possible to reduce the quantities of cement in the composite. The present research work mainly focuses on study of the characteristics of mortar with different replacement levels of carbon micro fiber and carbon nano fiber of varying particle size in the mortar. Different carbon fiber replacement level incorporated in the study are 0.025%, 0.050%, 0.075% and 0.1% by mass of total cementations material content. The effects of different carbon fiber (from micro to nano particle size) on the compressive strength, split strength, flexural strength, bulk density, water absorption, weight loss of mortars upto 28 days and other properties are determined. SEM & XRD analysis is done to understand the micro-structural analysis to correlate the mechanical properties mainly compressive strength. On the basis of the results, relevant conclusions are drawn.