Electrical Properties of the Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Geopolymer Studied by Impedance Spectroscopy

Geopolymers, recognized as an ecological alternative to cement concrete, are gaining more and more interest from researchers and the construction industry. Due to the registrable electrical conductivity, this material also attracts the interest of other fields of science and industry as a potential functional material. The article discusses the used geopolymer material, created on the basis of metakaolin and waste Cathode Ray Tubes (CRT) glass, reinforced with ultra-long in-house carbon nanotubes (CNT), in the context of its use as a smart material for Structural Health Monitoring. Long in-house made carbon nanotubes were added to enhance the electrical conductivity of the geopolymer. The impedance spectroscopy method was applied to investigate the conductive properties of this material. The paper shows the microscopic and mechanical characteristics of the materials and presents the results of promising impedance spectroscopy tests.

Automated summary

Geopolymers, an ecological alternative to cement concrete, have gained interest as a potential functional material due to their registrable electrical conductivity. This article discusses the use of a geopolymer material made from metakaolin and waste Cathode Ray Tubes (CRT) glass, reinforced with ultra-long in-house carbon nanotubes (CNT), for Structural Health Monitoring. The addition of carbon nanotubes enhances the electrical conductivity of the geopolymer. The study utilized impedance spectroscopy to investigate the conductive properties of the material and presents promising results.