Nano-reinforced cement composites and novel insights from graphene oxide: a review

The advancement in the field of nanomaterials offers a significant prospect for developing cement-based composites at a nanoscale level. The three primary structures of engineered nanomaterials are the zero-dimensional nanoparticle, one-dimensional nanofibre and two-dimensional nanosheet. The literature reports the incorporation of zero-dimensional nanoparticles and one-dimensional nanofibres, primarily nanosilica and carbon nanotubes, in various applications. The recently discovered structure of graphene oxide, a two-dimensional nanosheet, has attracted significant interest due to its potential to interact with cement matrix in an additional dimension. Recent findings from studies indicate that graphene oxide possesses the potential to improve the properties of cement composites, resulting in the development of advanced cement composites with an improved performance. The present study provides a comprehensive review of recent research studies associated with the development of cement nanocomposites. This article focuses on the influence of introducing nanomaterials at low dosages on the properties of cement composites, such as workability, strength, hydration and microstructural characteristics.