Enhancement of Some Mechanical Properties of White Cement Mortar by Adding Nanoparticles of Zirconium Oxide

Abstract

This paper will study mortar compressive strength (fc) and flexural strength (fr) by cement replacement which is partial with the particles of Nano-Zr2O3. Zr2O3nanoparticles are used as well as using average diameter of 35 nm with four various contents by weight of cement (0.25%, 0.75%, 1.25% and 1.75%). The (fc) and (fr) tests were performed after the process of curing at the 28-days which is the standard age. The preparation of mortar of Nano-cement was done by using the ratio of cement-sand by weight which is 1:3 with the ratio of water-binder materials (w/b ratio) as 0.5. The results demonstrated that the (fc) and (fr) of the mortars of cement with Zr2O3were registered higher than cement mortar that is pure. The ultimate Nano-cement mortar strength was obtained at 1.25% of the replacement of cement. The improvement in (fc) and (fr) were 15.6 % and 18.4% in a respective way at 28 days.