Reference Mortar Research Articles

Effect of bio-based internal curing agent on the performance of high-performance mortar

This paper examines the feasibility of using corncob particles as an internal curing agent in high-performance mortar. Due to the adverse effects of corncob leachate on cement hydration, the corncob particles were first treated by successive soaking in tap water. The effects of the corncob particle content, size, and state (pre-saturated or dry) on the internal relative humidity, autogenous shrinkage, mechanical properties, heat evolution, hydration products, and microstructure of high-performance mortar were investigated. The results indicated that the leachate of treated corncob particles resulted in a reduced setting time, more hydration products, and improved mechanical properties compared to the leachate of untreated corncob particles. The treatment was effective, and the mortar exhibited a similar performance as the reference mortar. The incorporation of corncob particles effectively reduced the drop rate of relative humidity and autogenous shrinkage. This result was attributed to the internal curing of the corncob particles, which delayed self-desiccation and promoted cement hydration. Increases in the heat release and the amount of hydration products confirmed the internal curing of the corncob particles. The corncob particles improved cement hydration, but the mechanical properties were adversely affected due to the weakness of the corncob particles and the poor interface between them and the cement matrix. The results suggest that small and pre-saturated corncob particles provided the best internal curing performance.

Recycling of aggregate micro fines as a partial replacement for fly ash in 3D printing cementitious materials

3D printing cementitious materials (3DPC) with fly ash usually presents problems with retardation of hydration reaction and low strength development at early ages, which does not match the requirements of the 3D printing process. Incorporating limestone aggregate micro fines (AMF) is a way of gaining both the performance and environmental benefits from the technology of 3DPC. This paper investigates the influences of AMF, mainly at forms of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), on the fluidity, extrudability, shape stability, green strength, hydration heat, and strength development of 3D printing mortar with FA. It is shown that the mini-slump and extrudability of mixtures are decreased with the increase of AMF contents. However, the shape stability, green strength, and Young’s modulus of mixtures containing AMF in the process of 3D printing are found to be higher than those of reference mixture without AMF, and these properties also increase with increasing AMF contents. The increased shape stability, green strength, and Young’s modulus can be ascribed to the irregularmorphology of AMF particles. The additional hydration products due to the accelerating effects of AMF also contribute to improving the load-bearing internal skeleton. In addition, while 3D printing mortar with FA and AMF is characterized by low compressive strength at early ages, their long-term strength typically meets or exceeds that of reference mortar due to the synergy effects between FA and AMF. This study provides a feasible solution, satisfying the fresh and hardened performance requirements, for the use of AMF in 3D printing mortar.

Corrosion Resistance and Physical-Mechanical Properties of Reinforced Mortars with and without Carbon Nanotubes

Following the evolution of currently enforced Performance Based Design standards of reinforced concrete (RC) structures for durability, the designer, rather than complying with given prescriptive limits, may instead specify a cementitious mix design that is proven to exhibit a code prescribed resistance level (class) to a given exposure environment. Such compliance will lead to the protection of the steel reinforcement from corrosion and the cementitious mortar from degradation, during the design lifespan of the structure, under aggressive environmental exposure conditions such as, marine or deicing salts and carbonation. In this context, the enhancement of the physical and durability properties of common cement-based mortars under chloride exposure are experimentally investigated herein. In particular, the experimental program reported herein aims to evaluate the influence of incorporating multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the physical and mechanical properties of reinforced mortars against chloride ions. Furthermore, the anticorrosion protection of cementitious composites prepared with nanomaterials at 0.2% w/w is further investigated, by comparing all test results against reference specimens prepared without any additive. Electrochemical (Half-cell potential, corrosion current) and mass loss of reinforcement steel measurements were performed, while the porosity, capillary absorption and flexural strength were measured to evaluate the mechanical and durability characteristics of the mortars, following a period of exposure of eleven months; SEM images coupled with EDX analysis were further recorded and used for microstructure observation. The test results indicate that the inclusion of the nanomaterials in the mix improved the durability of the mortar specimens, while the nano-modified composites exhibited higher chloride penetration resistance and flexural strength than the corresponding values of the reference mortars. The test results and the comparison between nanomodified and reference mortars showed that the use of CNTs as addition led to protection of steel reinforcing bars against pitting corrosion and a significant improvement in flexural strength and porosity of the mortars.

Effect of lubricating paste content on the engineering properties and microstructure of green mortars designed by densified mixture design algorithm

Mortar is one of the building materials that is widely used in most construction activities. So far, various methods have been used for designing the mixture proportions of mortar, and different ideas have been considered to improve the mortar’s quality. In this study, a novel densified mixture design algorithm (DMDA) developed by Hwang’s research group at the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology is applied for the mix design of the green mortar. The major concern of DMDA is to minimize the void volume of the aggregate system to obtain the maximum density of mortar with less water and less cement content, thus increasing the mechanical strength and durability performance of the mortar. In addition, the incorporation of both fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag in the DMDA method not only enhances the mortar’s quality but also provides a good solution for industrial waste treatment toward a cleaner environment and sustainable development. Another aim of this study is to investigate the changes in engineering properties and microstructure of the green mortars prepared with various lubricating paste contents (n). For this purpose, the green mortar samples were prepared with three different paste contents (n = 1.1, 1.3, and 1.5) and a fixed water/binder ratio of 0.4 was fixed for these mixtures. A reference mix designed by the conventional method was also included for comparison purpose. In the fresh stage, the flow diameter of all fresh mortar mixtures was adjusted in the range of 180 ± 5 mm by using various superplasticizer dosages and the fresh unit weight of these mixtures was also checked. In the hardened stage, the mortar samples were subjected to various tests including flexural strength, compressive strength, water absorption, and drying shrinkage. Moreover, a scanning electron microscopy technique was also used to observe the microstructure of the mortars. The experimental results show that increasing the paste content resulted in an increase in flexural strength, compressive strength, and drying shrinkage of the green mortars, meanwhile, a reduction in their fresh unit weight was found. Besides, all of the mortar samples exhibited a denser microstructure with low water absorption rates. A maximum compressive strength value of about 53 MPa could be achieved for the green mortar sample at 28 days with n = 1.5. It could also be observed from the results that all of the green mortars exhibited better performance than the reference mortar. The results of this study further demonstrated the effectiveness of using DMDA for the mix design of green mortars for sustainable construction.

Investigation of the influence of fine recycled sand on the setting behaviour of cement when used as supplementary cementitious material (SCM)

The building materials industry makes a major contribution to greenhouse gases emitted each year, particularly by the cement clinker production. Therefore, the aim should be to maintain an increased part of building material from demolition sites in the material cycle. The use of the fine material (< 2mm) from demolition waste in concrete has so far proved to be problematic due to the increased water demand and loss of compressive strength. One approach is the use of recycled concrete powder (RCP) as supplementary cementitious material (SCM). Demolition material used in this study has been obtained from discarded railroad sleepers and pre-crushed as sand (< 4 mm). The recycled sand was subjected to a mechanical and thermal activation process before use, then was ground to a particle size <63 μm and then fired at 4 different temperatures (750°C, 800°C, 850°C, 900°C). The aim was to convert parts of the hydrated C-S-H structure back into reactive silicate phases through firing process. They can contribute again to the hydration process when used as supplementary cementitious material. The ground and thermally treated material - called SCM - wasexamined for their physical and chemical properties. Subsequently, 10 and 20 Vol.-% were replaced by the SCM in a binder mixture, respectively. In a first step, the different water demand of the binders was documented. Ultrasonic methods were used to investigate the stiffening and setting behaviour of the binders. The decisive factor here was the proportion of chemically bound water in the binder mixtures. Finally, the mechanical properties of the binders were investigated in mortar tests. Acceptable compressive strengths were achieved compared to the reference mortar (mortar mixture without cement substitution). At first glance, it seems possible to use it as an SCM.

Evaluation of Physical Characteristics and Sorption of Cement Mortars with Recycled Ceramic Aggregate.

The subjects of this study were mortars with varying amounts of recycled ceramic aggregate (RCA). As part of the fine aggregate, the RCA volume share is 10%, 20%, 30%, 50% and 100%. First, fresh mixture parameters were evaluated, such as consistency and air content measurement by pressure method. Next, specimens were molded for compressive strength and flexural strength tests after 7, 28 and 56 days of curing. The thermo-humidity parameters of the composites, i.e., coefficient of capillary action and thermal conductivity coefficient were also investigated using nonstationary method. Sorption kinetics of the mortars at different moisture conditions at 20 °C were also evaluated. Sorption tests were carried out using two methods: TM and DVS. The sorption isotherms were plotted on the basis of equilibrium moisture content for the materials tested. The isotherms obtained by the two methods were evaluated. The results allowed us to draw conclusions on the physical and mechanical parameters of the composites with different amounts of RCA and to evaluate the ability to absorb moisture from the environment by these types of materials. A clear decrease in the compressive strength after 28 days of curing compared to the reference mortar was recorded after using 30% to 100% of RCA (approx. 26% to approx. 39%). Changes in flexural strength were significantly smaller, reaching no more than approx. 7.5%. It was shown that the amount of RCA translates into the ability to sorb moisture, which may affect the application of this type of composites. The amount of RCA translates also into the thermal conductivity coefficient, which decreased with increasing amount of RCA.

Red ceramic and concrete waste as replacement of portland cement: Microstructure aspect of eco-mortar in external sulfate attack

The use of red ceramic and concrete waste as a replacement for cement has great importance from an environmental point of view, and it is necessary to understand its influence on the cement matrix's performance. In this paper, mortar mixtures with partial replacement of the Portland cement by the addition of 3, 5, 12, and 20% of limestone filler (as reference), concrete waste, and red ceramic were subjected to sulfate attack. The accelerated test was monitored until the age of 98 days and microstructure analysis techniques were applied. Mortars with ceramic and concrete waste addition had greater expansion than the reference mortar. The addition of 12% of limestone filler mitigated the expansive reactions. The mortars with any type of addition had greater porosities. In this case, the aluminum oxide content in the ceramic and the calcium carbonate and calcium oxide contents in the concrete waste acted as a source for reaction with the sulfate ions. Due to the attack, the pore size distribution changed, showing that the pores in the band between 0.01 and 1 µm were filled with ettringite. The microcracks from the attack increased the pores with diameters over 1 µm. This performance reduction against sulfate attack must be considered for the use of ceramic and concrete residues in eco-efficient mortars, especially when it is inserted in environments subjected to this type of degradation.

Mechanical Properties of Lightweight Cementitious Cellular Composites Incorporating Micro-Encapsulated Phase Change Material.

This work focuses on combining digitally architected cellular structures with cementitious mortar incorporating micro-encapsulated phase change material (mPCM) to fabricated lightweight cementitious cellular composites (LCCCs). Voronoi structures with different randomness are designed for the LCCCs. Aided by the indirect 3D printing technique, the LCCCs were prepared with a reference mortar (REF) and a mortar incorporating mPCM. The compressive behavior of the LCCCs was studied at the age of 28 days, by experimental and numerical methods. It was found that the highly randomized Voronoi structure and the mPCM have minor negative influence on the compressive properties of the LCCCs. The mPCM incorporated LCCCs have high relative compressive strength compared to conventional foam concrete. Furthermore, the critical role of air voids defects on the compressive behavior was identified. The highly randomized porous Voronoi structure, high mPCM content and good compressive strength ensure the LCCCs’ great potential as a novel thermal insulation construction material.

Comparative study of flexural properties prediction of Washingtonia filifera rachis biochar bio-mortar by ANN and RSM models

The production of environmentally friendly and sustainable materials from natural materials is growing considerably. It is therefore important to use materials that capture and store CO2. The valorization of natural wastes in the field of construction can be a good alternative to natural aggregates in concrete and mortar. Many researchers have investigated on developing biochar applications and the potential use of biochar resulting from biomass pyrolysis to reduce the carbon footprint of based cement construction materials. The local accessibility and low cost of environmental waste lead to its incorporation as a substitute for cement in a form of biochar, which is highly suggested in many applications such as pavement concrete, coating, joint mortar and non-structural concrete elements. Thus, this study investigated the possibility of utilizing waste from pyrolysis of the Washingtonia filifera rachis biochar (WFRB) at temperatures of 300 °C, 400 °C, and 500 °C in cementitious mortars as a substitute for cement. For this purpose, different mortar mixtures were developed as cement substitutes (1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% WFRB). Flexural strength tests on the samples manufactured through the addition of biochar in the matrix were carried out as well as SEM analysis of the bio-mortar in order to know their internal structure. Statistical processing of the results using response surface method (RSM) and artificial neural networks (ANN) on developed cement bio-mortars was performed to find optimal addition WFRB. It was found that cement substitution of 1% pyrolysis WFRB at a temperature of 500 °C, is a promising combination offering better mechanical performance using RSM and the WFRB500-1% samples showed increases in flexural strength, displacement and flexural modulus of 5%, 20% and 265% respectively compared to the reference mortar. Model RSM as well as ANN correlate well with those obtained experimentally. However, the performance of the ANN model is much more adequate. ANN model showed a much more accurate prediction than RSM in terms of the values R2 and RMSE.

Influence of Untreated Metal Waste from 3D Printing on Electrical Properties of Alkali-Activated Slag Mortars

The negative environmental impact of cement production emphasizes the need to use alternative binders for construction materials. Alkali-activated slag is a more environmentally friendly candidate which can be utilized in the design of mortars with favorable material properties. However, the electrical properties of such materials are generally poor and need to be optimized by various metallic or carbon-based admixtures to gain new sophisticated material functions, such as self-sensing, self-heating, or energy harvesting. This paper investigates the influence of waste metal powder originating from the 3D printing process on the material properties of alkali-activated slag mortars. The untreated metal powder was characterized by means of XRD and SEM/EDS analyses revealing high nickel content, which was promising in terms of gaining self-heating function due to the high electrical conductivity and stability of nickel in a highly alkaline environment. The designed mortars with the waste metal admixture in the amount up to 250 wt.% to the slag and aggregates were then characterized in terms of basic physical, thermal, and electrical properties. Compared to the reference mortar, the designed mortars were of increased porosity of 17–32%. The thermal conductivity of ~1–1.1 W/m·K was at a favorable level for self-heating. However, the electrical conductivity of ~10−6 S/m was insufficient to allow the generation of the Joule heat. Even though a high amount of 3D printing waste could be used due to the good workability of mixtures, its additional treatment will be necessary to achieve reasonable, effective electrical conductivity of mortars resulting in self-heating function.

Influence of NaOH treatment of rubber aggregates on the durability properties of rubberized mortars

Abstract The work presented in this paper aims to study the durability of mortars, in which part of the sand has been replaced with rubber aggregates from used tires and have undergone a surface treatment with a sodium hydroxide solution (NaOH). The substitution rates studied are 10%, 17.5%, and 25%. The results are compared with ordinary mortar and mortars with untreated rubber aggregates while samples with the same substitution rates were used. To do this, the following properties have been studied: compressive strength, flexural tensile strength, water absorption by capillarity, water absorption by total immersion, water-accessible porosity, water permeability, and resistance to the chemical degradation by sulfuric acid H2SO4. The results obtained show that the treatment of rubber aggregates by the solution method (NaOH) presented a considerable improvement in mechanical performance (increase in compressive strength and flexural tensile strength) and better durability compared to reference mortar and mortar with untreated rubber granulate.

Study of the properties of chemically resistant repair mortar with the use of secondary raw materials

This paper deals with the research of a new silicate-based repair mortar modified with selected secondary raw materials. The aim of this work is to develop a chemically resistant material suitable for use in an extremely aggressive environment of sewers. The monitored parameters include key physical-mechanical characteristics, resistance to sulphate ions and to the attack of aggressive biogenic sulfuric acid. Chemical resistance was tested by simulating the exposure environment in laboratory conditions, according to the methodology of DIN 19573. The obtained results show that by suitable modification of the reference mortar it is possible to maintain the values of physical-mechanical characteristics and improve the chemical resistance of test samples.

Strength Development and Microstructural Investigation of Calcium Carbide Residue and Fly Ash Prepared with Optimized Alternative Green Binders

The development of new environmentally friendly binder from calcium carbide residue and fly ash wastes were investigated in this study. The key point of this work is difference to several previous investigations in that the optimized mixture proportion of the raw materials were calculated based on their chemical composition and their reaction. The compressive strength development over the curing age was also compared with reference mortar created with OPC binder. Mortar cubes were cast from the mix containing the calcium carbide residue and fly ash, at the optimized ratio. The compressive strength of the mortar was then monitored over an extended period: at 56 days it was 10.66 MPa, which is approximately 47% of the reference mortar. The morphologies and chemical compositions of the developed mortar showed the presence of spherically shaped of unreacted fly ash powder particles embedded in a cement C–S–H gel resulting from the pozzolanic reaction of raw materials.

Sustainable use of normal and ultra-fine fly ash in mortar as partial replacement to ordinary Portland cement in ternary combinations

In fiscal year 2020 about 4.1 billion tonnes of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is produced across the globe. The demand of cement in pace with construction of buildings and infrastructure is expected to increase year by year. Harmful gases such as carbon dioxide is emitted in to the environment in the process of cement production. Researchers and scientists are trying to reduce the consumption of cement significantly by blending cement with any industrial by-products such as Fly Ash (FA), Slag, Metakaolin, ultra-fine slag (UFS), ultra-fine fly ash (UFFA) etc. The present research aims to investigate the effect of OPC, FA and UFFA in 9 ternary combination. OPC is replaced with FA in proportion of 10, 20 and 30% with 10, 15 and 20% of UFFA, there by examining 9 different ternary combinations. The cost, strength and workability properties of 9 ternary mortar mixes are compared with reference mortar (100% OPC). Due to ultra-fine particle size of UFFA, it was observed that, the ternary mix are capable of providing better early strength, which was not possible with only normal fly ash. The study will help to determine the optimum proportions which can satisfy strength requirements and reduce cement consumption with effective utilization of industrial wastes.

Mortars with CDW Recycled Aggregates Submitted to High Levels of CO2

Construction and demolition wastes (CDW) are generated at a large scale and have a diversified potential in the construction sector. The replacement of natural aggregates (NA) with CDW recycled aggregates (RA) in construction materials, such as mortars, has several environmental benefits, such as the reduction in the natural resources used in these products and simultaneous prevention of waste landfill. Complementarily, CDW have the potential to capture CO2 since some of their components may carbonate, which also contributes to a decrease in global warming potential. The main objective of this research is to evaluate the influence of the exposure of CDW RA to CO2 produced in cement factories and its effect on mortars. Several mortars were developed with a volumetric ratio of 1:4 (cement: aggregate), with NA (reference mortar), CDW RA and CDW RA exposed to high levels of CO2 (CRA). The two types of waste aggregate were incorporated, replacing NA at 50% and 100% (in volume). The mortars with NA and non-carbonated RA and CRA from CDW were analysed, accounting for their performance in the fresh and hardened states in terms of workability, mechanical behaviour and water absorption by capillarity. It was concluded that mortars with CDW (both CRA and non-carbonated RA) generally present a good performance for non-structural purposes, although they suffer a moderate decrease in mechanical performance when NA is replaced with RA. Additionally, small improvements were found in the performance of the aggregates and mortars with CRA subjected to a CO2 curing for a short period (5 h), while a long carbonation period (5 d) led to a decrease in performance, contrary to the results obtained in the literature that indicate a significant increase in such characteristics. This difference could be because the literature focused on made-in-laboratory CDW aggregates, while, in this research, the wastes came from real demolition activities, and were thus older and more heterogeneous.

Carbonated wollastonite - An effective supplementary cementitious material?

Carbonated wollastonite clinker (CS) may be suitable as supplementary cementitious material (SCM) for mortar and concrete. The microstructure of unground CS clinker, carbonated CS slurry and a mortar blended with carbonated CS are investigated by scanning electron microscopy. Additionally, a reference mortar with pure Portland cement and one with a cement replacement level of 30 mass‐% by carbonated CS are produced to assess its contribution to compressive strength development. The calcium silicates are decalcified during carbonation resulting in CaCO3 and amorphous SiO2. The latter reacts when used as SCM in mortar influencing the Ca/Si ratio of calcium‐silicate‐hydrate and contributing to compressive strength development.

Manufacturing of integral hydrophobic concrete (IHC) using Pickering emulsion with limited effects on mechanical strength

The integral hydrophobic concrete (IHC) performs excellent long-term impermeability, however, accompanied with unavoidably sacrificing of its mechanical strength. The large defects induced by hydrophobic agent (HA) and the altered cement hydration are the main factors for such decline of mechanical strength. In this study, we develop emulsion additives involving the encapsulation of phase-change HA by graphene oxide (GO). Such additives can perform solid-to-liquid change adaptive to temperature increase as cement hydration undergoing. The solid state at room temperature allowed a uniform and stable mixing with cement, preventing the release and the aggregation of HA in liquid cement, thereby avoiding the formation of large defects. In addition, GO promotes the formation of hydration products around GO/MPA, which further deferred the release of HAs. As hydration undergoing, HA is released into solidified cement and cover the internal surface of pores and channels, resulting in the decrease of pore volumes and decrease of permeability. These behaviors avoid aforementioned decline factors in some extent, thereby optimizing the mechanical strength of IHC. Consequently, the IHC with 2% dosage of emulsion powders exhibits integral hydrophobicity with a contact angle of 140°, which could offer a decent resistant to water absorption. Remarkably, such IHC shows relieved strength decline of only 8% after 28 days of curing compared with reference mortar which is far lower than the best values of 31% in the reported literature. Our results demonstrate an effective method to reinforce the IHC.

Fracture parameters of fly ash geopolymer mortars with carbon black and graphite filler

In this study, the effect of carbon black and graphite filler on the crack initiation and fracture parameters of fly ash geopolymer mortar is investigated. The carbon black was added in the amount of 0.5 and 1.0% and graphite powder in the amount of 5 and 10% relative to the fly ash mass. The reference mixture without any filler was also prepared. The fracture characteristics were determined based on the results of the three-point bending test of prismatic specimens provided with an initial central edge notch. The fracture experiments were conducted at the age of 48 days. The vertical force (F), the displacement measured in the middle of the span length (d), and the crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) were continuously recorded during the test. The records of fracture tests were subsequently evaluated using the effective crack model, work-of-fracture method, and double-K fracture model. The addition of both fine fillers led to a decrease in monitored mechanical fracture parameters in comparison with reference mortar.

Substitution of limestone filler by waste brick powder in self-compacting mortars: Properties and durability

The feasibility of using waste brick powder (WBP) in the manufacture of self-compacting mortar has been investigated in this study. The limestone filler was partially or totally (0%, 50% and 100%) substituted with WBP. The rheological properties, compressive and flexural strengths, drying shrinkage and durability properties (including carbonation resistance, chloride ion diffusion and sulphate resistance) of self-compacting mortars were evaluated. The WBP-mortars presented a higher yield stress and plastic viscosity than that of WBP-free mortar: the additional water has to be added in order to achieve the equivalent workability. The compressive strength of WBP-mortars slightly decreased after 7 days (the compressive strength of series mortars M − BP decreased 5.6% and 9.3% for 50% and 100% WBP based mortars comparing with the reference mortar, respectively; while the compressive strength of series with similar workability mortar M-BP100WA which was based on 100% WBP decreased 16.7% and it could achieve 26.8 MPa), but the decreasing trend seemed to be compensated by the pozzolanic activity of WBP and remained equivalent after 28 days (the compressive strength of series mortar M-BP100WA decreased 5.3% and it could achieve 35.6 MPa). The substitution of limestone filler by WBP didn't seem to impair the durability behavior of mortars (except for the resistance to carbonation). Therefore, it is possible to manufacture self-compacting mortar by partially or totally substituting limestone filler by WBP.

Hydroxylated Graphene: A Promising Reinforcing Nanofiller for Nanoengineered Cement Composites.

A very low dosage of graphene oxide (GO) can enhance the mechanical durability of cement composites, but the reinforcing enhancement is highly dependent on the uniform dispersion of graphene in the matrix. Carboxylic groups at GO nanosheets have a decisive effect on GO aggregation in an alkaline cement solution because they have a strong complexation ability with aqueous Ca2+ released by cement hydration and subsequently crosslinks the adjacent graphene sheets, causing the immediate coagulation of GO. The available methods of homogeneously dispersing GO in a cement slurry cannot completely eliminate this carboxylic-crosslinking-induced GO coagulation. In this study, many hydroxyl groups were introduced onto the edge and planar nanosheets to prepare water-soluble hydroxylated graphene (HO-G) by facile ball milling. The structure of HO-G was thoroughly characterized in detail, and its dispersion behavior in pure water and Ca(OH)2 was extensively investigated. These results showed that the prepared HO-G exhibited good hydrophilicity and excellent colloidal dispersion ability against high pH and Ca2+ ions compared to GO. The effect of HO-G on the workability, mechanical strength, and chloride penetrability of a cement mortar was further studied. At a content of 0.03% by cement mass, HO-G provided 28.62 and 21.19% enhancements of compressive strength and 3.85 and 7.89% enhancements of flexural strength at 3 and 28 days, respectively, while the non-steady-state migration coefficient decreased by 31.51% compared to the reference mortar. Compared to GO, a lower dosage of HO-G exhibited a similar reinforcing effect to cement composites with little adverse impact on the fluidity of the fresh cement slurry. Moreover, the addition of HO-G could refine the pore structure, accelerate the hydration process of cement to some degree, and generate more hydration products so that the structure of the cement mortar was densified. Considering its environmentally friendly preparation, HO-G, as a promising reinforcing nanofiller, could provide a new solution to develop nanoengineered cement composites.