Development of functional construction materials from cement–reduced graphene oxide composite capable of generating electricity with improved mechanical strength

In this work, we have developed a functional construction material from a cement material that can scavenge mechanical energy from surrounding environment into electricity. An energy harvesting device called “a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG)” is fabricated from the cement–reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite to convert mechanical energy into electrical power. The incorporation of rGO in cement is found to enhance the electrical output of the TENG through space charge polarization, resulting in the increase in triboelectric charge density. The maximum power density achieved from the cement–rGO composite TENG is 1.72 W/m², which is six times greater than that of the unmodified cement TENG. Additionally, rGO improves the compressive strength of the cement composite by up to 50%. This enhancement is attributed to the large specific surface area of rGO, which creates nucleation sites, resulting in increased crystallization of cement hydration products. The findings of this work highlight the promising prospects for the development of functional construction material for smart energy building with improved mechanical strength.