Statistical Study of the Effectiveness of Surface Application of Graphene Oxide as a Coating for Concrete Protection

Abstract

Improving the protection of concrete by applying graphene oxide (GO) as a surface treatment has become the objective of the present study. This study focuses on performing a statistical analysis to study different levels of GO application as an exterior coating, thus observing the effectiveness of the coating and the optimization of the treatment material for concrete protection. Four tests were performed to define concrete durability, such as pressurized water penetration, capillary absorption, freeze-thaw resistance and carbonation resistance. The results showed an increase in concrete durability with any level of GO application on the surface, considering that the optimum amount of application for water impermeability and freeze-thaw resistance is 26.2 µg/cm2, since it was possible to reduce pressurized water penetration by 45%, capillary water absorption by 57% and freeze-thaw detachment by 25%. However, the optimum application rate for carbonation resistance is 52.4 µg/cm2, reducing carbonation by almost 60%. In conclusion, if the concrete is going to be exposed to less aggressive environments, the application of a mild surface coating of GO is sufficient for its protection, and if the concrete is going to be exposed to more aggressive environments, it is necessary to increase the amount of GO. The performance of GO as a coating significantly increased the degree of protection of the concrete, increasing its service life and proving to be a promising treatment for concrete surface protection.