Properties of Plain Cement Concrete by Incorporating Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) and Marble Powder

Abstract

This research aims to enhance the properties of concrete by incorporating innovative material and locally available cementitious waste materials. In this study, innovative material Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) @ 0.025% as well 5% marble powder by weight of cement has been incorporated in concrete to study its fresh properties, compressive strength and microstructural properties. A total of 42 specimens for 7 numbers of different proportions were cast. The water-cement ratio of 0.45 was kept constant throughout the research. Compressive strength was noted at 7 days and 28 days curing through the compression testing machine. It was observed that the highest strength was noted for mix having 0.20% of MWCNTs and lowest was noted for control specimen having no MWCNTs and marble powder. The flow of concrete tends to increase by incorporating MWCNTs. The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis confirms the formation of C-S-H gel in mixes having MWCNTs. The formation of bridge layers was also visible in mixes having MWCNTs and marble powder. This study recommends using 0.20% of MWCNTs and 5% marble powder to achieve superior properties of concrete.

Keywords: [coConcrete, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), Cement, scanning electron microscope (SEM), Compressive strength mma separated]

JEL Classification: A, Y, Z