Effect of Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes (Mwcnt, Mwcnt-Cooh and Mwcnt-Thiazol) in the Mechanical Compression Properties of a Cement-Based Material

Abstract

This study focuses on determine the mechanical compression properties of Guatemalan cement-based materials as a function of the carbon nanotubes chemical composition and loading. Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes oxidized (MWCNT-COOH) and Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes funcionalized with thiazol (MWCNT-Thiazol) were synthesized in an environment friendly reaction with urea instead of the traditional acid reaction. The samples were characterized by FT-IR, RAMAN, X-Ray diffraction (XRD)and TGA. Different weight ratios of the MWCNTs were added to a cement mortar to provide mechanical properties (0.01%, 0.03%, 0.05% w/w); additionally, a super plasticizer was employed. Adding 0.01% of MWCNT the mechanical compression of Portland-type cement marketed in Guatemala was improved with 3867.17 psi and 5212 psi, representing an improvement of 5.26 and 2.02% in comparison to the control sample at 7 and 28 days, respectively. The UV-Vis of the super plasticizer andMWCNT (16:1 21.2:1 and 41:1) was done to understand the optimal dispersion. The performance of the mechanical compression of MWCNT in comparison to the MWCNT-COOH and MWCNT-Thiazol is analyzed according to the non-covalent interaction with the polycarboxylate superplasticizer and the matrix cement.