Recent advances in the heating resistance, thermal gravimetric analysis, and microstructure of green concrete incorporating palm-leaf and cotton-stalk nanoparticles

Abstract

Environmental pollution reduction is becoming increasingly crucial, especially in concrete production. In this regard, green concrete (GC) may help reduce the environmental impact of cement concrete by replacing ordinary Portland cement (OPC) with waste agricultural cotton stalk and palm leaf nanoparticles (NC and NP) or reusing crushed granite (G) as coarse aggregate. Nine green concrete mixes containing total binder material (B.M = 436 km/m3) were created by using OPC alone (MO) or partially substituting with 9% silica-fume alone (MSF) or with various percentages (2%, 3%, and 5%) of NC (MC2, MC3, and MC5) or NP (MP2, MP3, and MP5) or with (3% NC + 3% NP) (MC3P3). Also, the outcomes of the two reactive powder concrete (RPC) mixes (MRC3 and MRP3) incorporating 1090 km/m3 of B.M with 3% NC and 3% NP were compared with the previous GC mixes. Experiments on the compressive, splitting tensile, and water permeability of the used mixes were conducted. Temperatures of up to 800 °C were also an issue. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy of the specimens were performed, and the results were studied. This research reveals that adding NC and NP to GC improves the mechanical properties and durability. Therefore, using crushed granite and agricultural waste nanoparticles to make eco-friendly, high-strength GC mixes is technically and ecologically feasible. The mechanical properties and durability of green mixes specially (MC3P3, MC5 and MP5) are better than those of RPC mixes. Furthermore, the specimens fractured when subjected to 800 °C and water pressure. Finally, the MC3P3 blend has the best mechanical qualities and heat resistance up to 400 °C. MC3 has nearly the same mechanical and thermal qualities as the MC3P3 and MC5 mixes, but it is the most potent up to 800 °C. The TGA of MC3 is better at all temperatures up to 1000 °C.