The Macro and Micro Effects of Graphene Oxide and Silica Fume on the Performance of Concrete under Standard Curing Conditions

Abstract

Herein, the properties of concrete containing graphene oxide (GO) and silica fume (SF) are systematically investigated. The results show that the excellent properties of GO and SF have a significant improvement effect on the performance of concrete. Among them, the compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural strength of B‐1 group (GO, 0.01 wt% and SF, 2.5 wt%) are increased by 11.04%, 12.23%, 20.11% compared with the reference group after 3 days of curing. Meanwhile, the water penetration height of B‐1 group is decreased by 59.67% compared with reference group. The mass loss and relative dynamic modulus loss are 5.32% and 8.89% after 75 freeze‐thaw cycles, which are much lower than the reference group. Moreover, the micromodification mechanism of GO and SF on the concrete is investigated by using X‐ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and mercury intrusion porosimetry. The results show that the incorporation of GO and SF promotes the early hydration reaction of cement, improves the internal structure of the matrix, and enhances the compactness of the matrix.