Revealing the dependence of the physiochemical and mechanical properties of cement composites on graphene oxide concentration

This paper presents a comprehensive study to evaluate the influence of graphene oxide (GO) concentration on the physiochemical and mechanical properties of cement mortar composites. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) characterizations were performed to understand the correlation between physicochemical and observed axial tension and compression properties of GO-cement mortar composites. The results show considerable concentration dependence, with the optimum concentration of 0.1% GO that increases the tensile and compressive strength of the composite by 37.5% and 77.7%, respectively. These results are explained by the stronger bonding of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) components in the cement matrix in the presence of GO sheets and the dependence of their dispersions and possible aggregation.