Effect of curing time on thermal response characterization of carbon-nano cementitious composites

Abstract

Introducing small amounts of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into cement-based materials changes the thermal and electrical characteristics of the composites. The heat generation of cement materials can be enhanced by incorporating MWCNTs. The thermal response of cement composites incorporating MWCNTs under dry curing conditions was experimentally investigated by varying the curing time and MWCNT concentrations of the composite. The temperature change in each specimen was measured by connecting the electrode to the power supply and supplying a constant voltage. The heat generation of the MWCNT cementitious composite increased with the number of curing days. In addition, the heat generation of the composite increased in a quadratic form with increasing MWCNT concentration. The electrical resistance of the composite depended on the progress of the hydration reaction. In the case of cementitious composites containing relatively high concentrations of MWCNTs, the electrical resistance decreased as the number of curing days increased.