Hexagonal Boron Nitride and Graphite Oxide Reinforced Multifunctional Porous Cement Composites

The synthesis and characterization of multifunctional cement and concrete composites filled with hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and graphite oxide (GO), is reported and their superior mechanical strength and oil adsorption properties compared to composites devoid of fillers are illustrated. GO is utilized to bridge the cement surfaces while h-BN is used to mechanically reinforce the composites and adsorb the oil. Introduction of these fillers even at low filler weight fractions increases the compressive strength and toughness properties of pristine cement and of porous concrete significantly, while the porous composite concrete illustrates excellent ability for water separation and crude oil adsorption. Experimental results along with theoretical calculations show that such nanoengineered forms of cement based composites would enable the development of novel forms of multifunctional structural materials with a range of environmental applications.