Pozzolanic attributes of hydraulic cement paste hybridized with agricultural by-product and Nano-carbon

The increased consumption of construction materials has created a global movement toward the use of eco-friendly materials, including agricultural and industrial by-products. Similarly, research on nano-particles for improving concrete performance and lowering clinker impact has intensified. The primary objective of this research is to examine the pozzolanic reactivity and microstructure analysis of cement paste fortified with Graphene Nanoplatelets (GNPs) and rice husk ash (RHA). The Fratini test and strength activity index are used to assess the pozzolanic reactivity of RHA burnt at different temperatures, and the microstructure of RHA with exceptional pozzolanic reaction is further examined. RHA burnt at high temperature (750 degrees C) shows poor pozzolanic activity than RHA burnt at 500 degrees C. For the development of a sustainable cement matrix, 15 % of RHA is substituted with cement, and GNPs are added in varying proportions, such as 0.1 %, 0.2 %, and 0.3 %. The chemical properties and changes in the microstructure of the hybrid composites are determined using SEM, XRD, and FTIR. A series of experiments are conducted to evaluate the fresh and mechanical performances of graphene and rice husk ash reinforced cement. It is observed that the GNP-reinforced cement showed a compressive strength enhancement of up to 19.4 % and a maximum strength improvement of 28.7 % is attained in the composite blended with 0.3 % GNP and 15 % RHA.

Automated summary

The increased consumption of construction materials has led to a global movement towards the use of eco-friendly materials. This study investigates the effects of adding graphene nanoplatelets and rice husk ash on cement. The experiments show that adding graphene nanoplatelets to cement increases its compressive strength.