Impacts of graphene nanoribbon dispersion and stability on the mechanical and hydration properties of cement paste: Insights from surfactant-assisted ultrasonication

Abstract

In this study, we aim to evaluate the different dispersion methods that affect the dispersion behavior of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) and to conduct a contrastive analysis of the different surfactants that influence the dispersion and stability of GNRs in deionized (DI) water and alkaline solution. Moreover, we studied uniformly dispersed GNRs with respect to the hydration, mechanical properties, and microstructure of the cement paste. Owing to the surface defects of the GNRs, electrostatic repulsion was sufficient to overcome the van der Waals force and provide a long-term period of high stability. The results show that by using SPs and 60 min of ultrasonication, the dispersibility of GNRs improved by 8.5 % and 25.7 % in DI water and alkaline solution, respectively. Uniformly dispersed GNRs accelerate the hydration and C-S-H polymerization, resulting in significant increases in compressive strength and splitting tensile strength by 17 % and 33 %, respectively, and reduced porosity by 14.6 % after 28 days of curing.