Nano Fly Ash Research Articles

Dry sliding wear characteristics of hybrid aluminum alloy with nano-fly ash and nano-yttrium oxide

Aluminum alloys feature impressive levels of strength, ductility, castability, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance, making them highly advantageous for the aviation and automotive industries. This study investigates the dry wear performance of hybrid nanocomposites (HNCs) produced using Al6061 as the matrix, with nano-fly ash (FA) and nano-yttrium oxide (Y2O3) as reinforcing agents, utilizing the stir-casting method. The weight percentage (wt-%) of FA was fixed at 4 wt-%, while the Y2O3 varied from 1 wt-% to 3 wt-%. The specimens were prepared following ASTM-G99 standards and tested using a pin-on-disc apparatus with an E31 steel disc under four different loads: 10 N, 20 N, 30 N, and 40 N. It has been observed that wear rate has been increased with the increase in the applied load. The maximum wear rate has been recorded for the base Al6061 alloy as 5.63 × 10−4 mm3/N-m at 40 N load due to its lower wear resistance and less hardness value. The addition of reinforcement particles in the base alloy results in the grain refinement and improvement in the load-bearing capacity. It has been found that at 40 N load, the Al-6061 alloy reinforced with (4 wt-% FA + 3 wt-% Y2O3) is 56.83% superior in terms of wear resistance (2.43 × 10−4 mm3/N-m) as compared to Al6061 base alloy. The hybrid nano-composite containing 4 wt-% FA + 3 wt-% Y2O3 showed the highest value of microhardness as 123.2 HV, which is 136% higher than that of base alloy due to the higher load-bearing characteristics of the reinforcement particles. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) have been employed to analyze both unworn and worn surfaces, revealing uniform dispersion of reinforcement particles, the formation of an oxide layer, micro-pitting, wear debris, and material delamination. Grain refinement has been examined using the line intercept method (ASTM E1382-97), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the elemental composition of the nano-reinforcements.

Effect of Nano-Fly Ash Additive on the Mechanical and Microstructural Properties of Plasma-Sprayed Mullite Coatings

Effect of Nano-Fly Ash Additive on the Mechanical and Microstructural Properties of Plasma-Sprayed Mullite Coatings

Nano-fly ash and clay for 3D-Printing concrete buildings: A fundamental study of rheological, mechanical and microstructural properties

Three-dimensional printing concrete (3DPC) represents a recent innovation in the construction and building research sector and novel approach to building techniques. The focus of this study is to develop an environmentally sustainable cementitious composite optimized for 3D printing applications. The research involved preparing 3D printing mixtures that comprised of 50 % Portland Cement (PC), 50 % Colorobia Clay (CC), and varying contents (0 % 5 %, 10 %, and 15 % by weight of cement) of Nano-Fly Ash (N-FA) under standardized printing parameters. The fresh mixture's properties have been evaluated and the mechanical and microstructural properties of the printed samples were assessed, subsequently. The findings demonstrated that incorporating N-FA into the cementitious mixes enhanced their flowability and workability. Specifically, the mix containing a low N-FA concentration of 5 wt% exhibited superior compressive strength relative to the other formulations. Additionally, flexural strength assessments indicated a minimum increase of 39.4 % across all mixes compared to the control 3D-printed mixture. Microstructural investigations by SEM imaging validated the anticipated formation of hydration products, namely calcium-silicate-hydrate (CSH) and ettringite, facilitated by the synergy between clay and fly ash. The t-statistical analysis further corroborated that the inclusion of N-FA significantly bolstered the strength attributes of the mixes designated for 3D printing. In conclusion, this study underscored the efficacy of integrating clay as a sustainable construction material within 3D printing applications. The utilization of clay-cement mixes, augmented with N-FA, emerged as a viable strategy to enhance the sustainability and reduce the carbon footprint of construction practices.

Low alkaline vegetation concrete with silica fume and nano-fly ash composites to improve the planting properties and soil ecology

Abstract Slope protection and erosion management are severely hampered by the rapid infrastructure development in mountainous valleys, especially during the monsoon season. While conventional approaches like vegetation, porous concrete, and inorganic procedures have been used, stronger and more ecologically friendly alternatives are still needed. A new kind of concrete called vegetation concrete (VC) allows roots to grow through the concrete frame by combining plant integration with porous concrete. This creative method might be used for environmentally friendly building and planting. The alkalinity of VC significantly impacts its planting capabilities and soil nutrient levels, making it crucial to reduce VC alkalinity. In this study, silica fume (SF) and fly ash (FA) were combined to create low-alkaline VC. The effects of SF and FA on VC’s alkalinity, porosity, compressive strength, and planting characteristics were examined. The study also investigated VC’s influence on soil fertility and its impact on soil nutrients. Test results revealed that SF and FA reduced the pH of the VC by reducing calcium hydroxide (CH) crystals. While SF had a lower basicity coefficient (M) than FA, it had a more significant effect on lowering VC alkalinity. The compressive strength decreased with FA but increased with SF, despite SF having a smaller cement component in VC–SF mixes. This suggests that blending VC with SF and FA is feasible, with the SF dosage exceeding the FA dosage for reduced alkalinity and increased strength. Lowering VC alkalinity through SF and FA increased soil nutrients, including hydrolyzable nitrogen (AH-N), extractable phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). It also improved planting properties like root development, stem height, and leaf relative water content. Using VC for soil stabilization did not reduce soil fertility but instead increased the available phosphorus and alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen in the soil by 32.81 and 52.92%, respectively. The findings of this study open up new avenues for investigation into this technology and have important ramifications for the use of VC technology, particularly in Indian contexts.

Influence of Nano-Fly Ash on mechanical properties, microstructure characteristics and sustainability analysis of Alkali Activated Concrete

Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) composites significantly affect the atmosphere by emitting Carbon dioxide (CO2) during its production process. The addition of Nano Materials (NM) for the construction could change the matrix configuration at the nano level. Compared to other NMs, converting industrial by-products and locally available materials into nano size can enhance the characteristics of the binder composites. This research work focuses on the effects of Nano Fly ash (nFA), on the fresh, mechanical, microstructural, and thermal resistance properties of Fly Ash (FA) and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS) based Alkaline Activator Nano Concrete (AANC). The impact of adding nFA in various concentrations of 3 %, 6 %, 9 %, 12 %, and 15 % on the properties of AANC was studied. By adding nFA in an optimal proportion, the degree of geo-polymerization is improved which is found by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDAX) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). Results indicate that the addition of nFA significantly increased polymerization, reducing initial and final setting times by 13.3 %–52.5 % and 5.3 %–28.8 %, respectively. Moreover, nFA promoted the formation of polymer gel, leading to a denser microstructure with fewer cracks and refined pores, resulting in a substantial increase in mechanical strength, particularly with 9% nFA, achieving an optimal CS of 56.14 MPa after 28 days which is 37.97 % improvement compared to the mix without nFA. However, when nFA was added, beyond 9 %, the performances declined due to its high surface area resulting in a non-uniform dispersion that promoted agglomeration. This dispersion enhances the formation of C-A-S-H and C–S–H gels. The addition of nFA in AANC can be an environmentally friendly solution by reducing CO2 emissions, energy consumption, cost reduction and increased sustainability.

Residual mechanical properties of concrete incorporated with nano supplementary cementitious materials exposed to elevated temperature

Abstract The construction industry commonly employs concrete as a construction material, which sometimes may be subjected to fire exposure. It is important to adopt fire safety measures while planning and constructing such structures to ensure the safety of the occupants and the structural integrity of the concrete. So, determining its performance at elevated temperatures is of utmost importance. The main objective of this study was to investigate the impact of mineral incorporations, namely, nano bentonite clay (NBC) and nano fly ash (NFA), on the retained properties of concrete at normal (27°C) and at elevated temperatures. The feasibility of partly substituting ordinary Portland cement utilizing a mixture of NBC (0–5%) and NFA (0–50%) in concrete was assessed under the exposure to an elevated temperature ranging from 200 to 600°C. Several parameters were examined, including compressive strength, flexural strength, split tensile capacity, water penetration, loss of mass, ultrasound pulse velocity, and microstructure properties. After the experimental analysis, it was observed that the fire endurance was shown to be improved with the inclusion of nanoparticles (BC and FA). A reduction in the loss of mass by samples subjected to elevated heat was observed with the addition of nano bentonite and NFA. The mechanical strength results were obtained as maximum for the concrete specimens with 2% NBC and 20% NFA and further, the specimens performed better when exposed to elevated temperature as compared with normal concrete specimens. The microstructure of the concrete also upgraded with better impermeability owing to the use of NBC and NFA.

Integration of FDM and self-healing technology: evaluation of crack sealing by durability and mechanical strength

The tensile zone of concrete is prone to cracking due to its limited ability to withstand tension. To address this issue, steel reinforcement is used in these specific regions. The occurrence of little cracks might potentially facilitate the ingress of liquids and gases into the reinforcing material, hence inducing corrosion. Self-healing concrete can repair and seal minuscule cracks, thus impeding the formation of corrosion. This study investigates the potential application of fused deposition modeling (FDM) for generating novel vascular networks and tubes using polylactic acid (PLA) as the material. Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) was fabricated using three-dimensional (3D) printing techniques, and its properties were compared to those of one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) networks. The external diameter measured 5.6 mm, while the internal diameter measured 4 mm. utilized a 10 ml volume to apply healing agents, specifically organic polyethylene glycol liquid and nano-powder (fly ash) derived from recycled materials, to all vascular structures (1D, 2D, and 3D). This application was carried out using a planetary ball mill. Following this, the prepared tubes were incorporated into a concrete beam to introduce self-healing capabilities. The water-to-cement ratio (W/C) utilized for all concrete mixtures was 0.6%, while the definite mixture proportions were 1:2.16:2.98. The quantification of the self-healing phenomenon was conducted by evaluating the restoration of load-carrying capacity following the application of a repaired specimen to a four-point bending test. Furthermore, these enhancements resulted in improved durability, increased compressive strength, and enhanced other physical characteristics. The pipes that are manufactured can be utilized to produce innovative concrete that possesses the ability to undergo self-healing processes by combining low-viscosity healing solutions (PEG) with powders (nano fly ash) that are appropriate for this application by injection into the vascular network , making it well-suited for various self-healing applications.

Influence of nano bentonite clay and nano fly ash on the mechanical and durability properties of concrete

Influence of nano bentonite clay and nano fly ash on the mechanical and durability properties of concrete

The Impact of Nano Fly Ash Particulates on Tribological Performance of Jute /Cotton fiber Reinforced Hybrid Bio-composite

The Impact of Nano Fly Ash Particulates on Tribological Performance of Jute /Cotton fiber Reinforced Hybrid Bio-composite

Rheological Characteristic of Petroleum Asphalt Binder Modified by Natural Nano Silica and Nano Fly ash

Rheological Characteristic of Petroleum Asphalt Binder Modified by Natural Nano Silica and Nano Fly ash

Stabilizing cohesive soils with Micro- and Nano- fly ash as Eco-friendly Materials: An experimental study

Soil stabilization is a popular technique for improving soil properties and creating sustainable and green buildings using rammed earth walls. Nano materials are a new type of additive that can enhance soil performance. Laboratory tests were performed to examine the geotechnical properties of clay mixed with nano fly ash. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) were used to analyze the nature and changes of the particles before and after the grinding process. The effect of time and different dosages of nano fly ash (3%, 5%, and 7%) on the curing behavior was also investigated. The test results showed that the optimal amount of nano fly ash and fly ash added to soil was 7% by weight of soil after 28 days. This increased the unconfined compression strength of clay from 50 kPa to 410 kPa (8.2 times) and the triaxial strength of clay from 65, 80, and 90 kPa to 520, 640, and 720 kPa (8 times) respectively. The results showed that nano-fly ash as a nano soil-improvement suspension significantly improved the strength and stiffness of the soil-fly ash mixture by forming gel that filled the pores and bonded the soil particles. Nano-fly ash also acted as a nucleation site, enhancing the durability and strength of the mixture.

A comparative analysis of dry sliding wear characterization of textile wastes (cotton/jute fabrics) reinforced nano fly ash filled epoxy based hybrid composites

PurposeThe purpose of current study deals with the development and wear testing of jute and cotton fiber reinforced with nano fly ash-based epoxy composites. Performance of waste cotton fabric nano hybrid composites are compared with waste jute fabric nano hybrid composites.Design/methodology/approachBasic hand layup technique was used to develop composites. To optimize the parameters and design of experiments, Taguchi design was implemented to test wear rate and co-efficient of friction as per ASTM standards. Performance of waste cotton fabric nano hybrid composites is compared with waste jute fabric nano hybrid composites.FindingsResult shows that nano fly ash lowers the wear rate and co-efficient of friction in developed composites. Findings reveals that hybrid composites of waste jute Fabric with 3 Wt.% of nano fly ash performed best amongst all composites developed. Morphology of nano composites worn out surfaces are also analyzed through SEM.Practical implicationsPractically, textile waste, i.e. jute, cotton and nano fly ash (thermal power plant) all wastes, is used to develop composites for multi-function application.Social implicationsWastes are reused and recycled to develop epoxy-based composites for sustainable structures in aviation.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, nano fly ash and jute, cotton combination is used for the first time to develop and test for wear application.

Post-fire behaviour of concrete containing nano-materials as a cement replacement material

Cement replacement materials have been the subject of increasing levels of research and development in recent years. These products are employed for many reasons, including to modify the properties of concrete, although the most urgent need for their use currently is to produce more sustainable concrete and reduce waste. Recently, nanomaterials such as nano-fly ash and nano-metakaolin have been studied as cement replacement materials as they tend to fill the pores present in the matrix, thereby increasing the density of the concrete resulting in an enhanced hydration process and greater mechanical performance. This paper is concerned with the post-fire mechanical and durability behaviour of concrete containing nanomaterials as a cement replacement material, for which there is no information available currently. The key information and results from an experimental investigation are presented and discussed. The experimental programme studied both nano-fly ash and nano-metakaolin with a cement replacement ratio of between 5% and 25%. The specimens were subjected to a standard fire and then cooled either slowly, in air, or quickly in water. Based on the test data, it is concluded that the presence of either of these nanomaterials in concrete reduces the pore volume and increases the pozzolanic activities in the mix, leading to enhanced mechanical and durability behaviour compared with traditional concrete. The optimization trials indicate that the best replacement ratios are 20% for the nano-fly ash and 15% for the nano-metakaolin. Overall, following elevated temperature exposure, the concretes containing nano-fly ash performed better than the concretes with nano-metakaolin but both out-performed traditional cement-based concrete.

Sustainability of pre-treated and nano-fly ash powder on the thermal stability and environmental impact of green mortars under ambient conditions

Safety during fire exposure conditions paid a lot of attention in today's modern construction activities which demands the exploration of thermally stable and eco-friendly building materials. During the elevated temperature conditions, the building with Portland cement construction experienced large rate of decomposition and heavy spalling. To achieve the thermal stability and sustainability in the building construction, an alternative zero cement geopolymer system was developed by using pre-treated and cost-effective nano-fly ash powder. The thermal stability of the developed nano-fly ash impregnated geopolymer mortar was assessed under various temperatures in terms of weight loss, visual observation and the post fire residual strength. Also, the results were validated by means of conducting Thermo Gravimetry Analysis, Fourier Infrared Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron microscopic analysis. From the results, it was observed that the geopolymer mortars with 1% nano-fly ash impregnation exhibited the highest compressive strength at all the temperature conditions. Also, the nano-fly ash added geopolymer mortars retained with 67% of its original strength even after the maximum temperature exposure of 900 °C. The use of pre-treated and nano-fly ash completely eliminates the need of superplasticizer and oven curing due to the improved reactivity. Also, the developed green mortar resulted in 46% reduced green house gas emission and 18.3% reduced cost of construction which paves the way to the development of cost-effective and sustainable geopolymer construction under fire explosive environments.

Effect of nano cementitious composites on corrosion resistance and residual bond strength of concrete

The interconnection between the steel and concrete is frequently weakened by corrosion. Interestingly, it has been observed that nano pozalonic materials offer an economical approach for lowering the permeability of concrete by enhancing its morphological characteristics. This research discusses the impact of nano pozalonic materials on strengthening the corrosion resistance and pull-out behaviour of steel reinforcement in concrete. In order to treat concrete specimens with accelerated or immersion-based corrosion procedures, the cement is replaced with nanocement (NC) or nano fly ash (NFA).The performance of concrete is tested by evaluating its compressive strength, chloride ion penetration, corrosion potential, and water permeability. The steel reinforcement is examined to assess the residual yield strength and mass loss. In order to assess the bond-slip behaviour between concrete and the reinforcing steel, pull-out tests are performed. Our findings indicate that concrete with nano cement and nano fly ash exhibited excellent corrosion resistance by retaining the yield strength of reinforcement steel and corresponding bond strength.

Influence of Nano Composites on the Impact Resistance of Concrete at Elevated Temperatures

The addition of nanomaterials to concrete efficiently fills the pores of the concrete, thereby improving its hardening characteristics. However, no research is available in the literature that investigated the influence of nano-cement (NC), nano-silica-fume (NS), nano-fly-ash (NF), and nano-metakaolin (NM), which are used as partial replacements for cement, on the impact strength (IS) of concrete at elevated temperatures. This issue is addressed herein. Nanomaterials were used in this study to replace 10%, 20%, and 30% of the cement in four different grades of concrete, starting from M20 to M50, at different temperatures. This nano-blended matrix was exposed to various temperatures ranging from 250 °C to 1000 °C, with an increment of 250 °C. In total, the results of 384 new tests were reported. In addition, morphological changes undergone by the concrete specimens were observed through a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The study revealed that the type of binder, proportion of binder, heating intensity, duration, and cooling type directly influenced the impact strength of concrete when subjected to elevated temperature. In comparison to NC, NF, NS, and NM, the mix with NC possessed superior performance when it was heated at 1000 °C. Prior to being subjected to elevated temperatures, the MK blended concrete mix performed well; however, when subjected to elevated temperatures, the MK blended concrete also experienced severe damage.

Characterization of nano fly ash and study on durability properties of nano fly ash embedded concrete

Characterization of nano fly ash and study on durability properties of nano fly ash embedded concrete

Nanomaterials in geopolymer composites: A review

Nanomaterials (NMs) are being used to enhance the properties of construction materials. This review focuses on the use of NMs to improve the characteristics of fresh and hardened Geopolymer Composites (GC). Over 335 research publications are reviewed to detail the benefits and drawbacks of the integration of NMs in GC. More specifically, this review outlines the effects of numerous NMs such as Nano Silica (NS), Nano Alumina (NA), Nano Titanium dioxide (NT), Carbon Nano Tubes (CNT), Multiwall Carbon Nano Tubes (MCNT), Nano Calcium Carbonate (NCC), Nano Zinc oxide (NZ), Graphene Oxide (GO), Nano Metakaolin (NMK), Nano Fly Ash (NFA), Nano Glass Powder (NGP) and Nano-clay(NC) on Geo-polymer Paste (GPP), Geo-polymer Mortar (GPM) and Geo-polymer Concrete (GPC). The presence of NMs was found to enhance the geo-polymerization reaction and result in a denser matrix. The presence of NMs also enhances the durability of GC by preventing micro-pores interconnectivity. In hindsight, our review indicates that the addition of NMs is directly tied to producing high-performance GC, which the construction industry can effectively readily adopt. Additional insights, challenges, and future research directions are identified and discussed toward the end of this review.

Verification of Utilizing Nanowaste (Glass Waste and Fly Ash) as an Alternative to Nanosilica in Epoxy

Silica is considered one of the most prevalent components in the Earth’s shell and is synthesized for use in technological applications. Nevertheless, new methods for finding a better, cheaper, and more ecologically friendly supply of silica with less energy consumption are unavoidable. This study investigates whether nanopowders made from waste with a great silica amount (fly ash and glass) can be utilized as fillers in an epoxy glue to enhance its characteristics. Four different contents (5, 10, 15, and 20 wt%) of nano–fly ash, nanoglass, and nanosilica powder were introduced into the samples. Fourier transform infrared analysis, differential scanning calorimetry analysis, viscosity testing, and microhardness testing were conducted for nanoglass/epoxy and nano–fly ash/epoxy samples, which were compared with the silica/epoxy samples. Results indicated that the nanoglass and nano–fly ash powder have the same impact as nanosilica on the characteristics of epoxy. The hardness and viscosity of epoxy increased with the increase in the added filler. At 20 wt%, the hardness value of the nanoglass/epoxy composites was greater than that of the nanosilica/epoxy and fly ash/epoxy composites by about 15% and 7%, respectively. The results also indicated that the highest viscosity values were obtained when using nano–fly ash powder of 20 wt%. Furthermore, the modification of the epoxy by the nanoparticles had no significant effect on the values of the glass transition temperatures.

Sustainable utilization of pre-treated and nano fly ash powder for the development of durable geopolymer mortars

Developments in geopolymer construction are gaining more interest nowadays due to the elimination of cement and the consequent effects such as carbon dioxide emission, greenhouse effect, etc. Although the use of fly ash as a binder in the geopolymer system acts as a key solution for the major hazardous effects like land dumping, soil contamination, groundwater pollution, and respiratory diseases, the slow reactivity of the fly ash resulted in the considerable reduction in the strength. In this paper, a novel pretreatment method was employed on the fly ash binder in terms of thermal and mechanical means. Also, a cost-effective nano fly ash powder was synthesized and used as filler material on the geopolymer system. The efficiency of the fabricated geopolymer mortar was assessed by examining the workability, compressive strength, and resistance against chloride ion penetration. The geopolymer mortars with pre-treated fly ash exhibited a highly workable mix of 130% improved flow rate without adding any superplasticizer. Further, the addition of 1% nano fly ash, exhibited the highest compressive strength of 71.22 MPa, confirmed almost nil chloride ion permeability, and sustained 90% residual strength after immersing in the brine solution for 60 days which explored the development of sustainable and cost-effective geopolymer construction in the marine environment.