Improvements on Mechanical Property and Microstructure of Cementitious Composite Incorporated with Silica Fume and Carbon Nanotube

Abstract

Nano-size fillers (ultrafine silica fume (USF) or/and multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCT)) were incorporated into cement matrix to fabricate nano-fillers reinforced cementitious materials (NFRCs) with surfactant ultrasonic dispersion and subsequently mix cast process. The flexural and compressive strengths of four groups NFRCs with varied nano-filler loading were comprehensively investigated. Results show, there are positive effects on the flexural and compressive strength of NFRCs with nano-fillers loading, especially when USF and MWCT are incorporated simultaneously, and the correspondent maximal flexural and compressive strength can increase by above 17%, 28% with respect to the baseline, respectively. The pozzolan infilling effect of USF and the crack-bridging effect of dispersed MWCT result in the dense and integrated network microstructures of cured NFRC.