Mechanical Properties and Micro Structure of Graphene Oxide (GO) Cement Composites: A Review

Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is the key ingredient in concrete, and it is the primary choice in the construction and building environment. OPC’s superior technical qualities have made it a preferred choice for combining newly developed multi-functional materials. Because of its brittle nature, OPC resembles materials with weak resistance to crack formation, low tensile strength, and limited strain capacity. By virtue of their exceptional mechanical qualities, graphene and its derivatives, such as graphene oxide, carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotubes, and silica particles, have demonstrated a means to create a super concrete. Because of the outstanding interfacial interaction capabilities of graphene oxide, it can interface directly with cement particles. GO is a viable option for application as nano reinforcements in cement-based materials due to its outstanding mechanical capabilities, high aspect ratio, and good dispersibility in water. This paper conducts a thorough examination of the mechanical properties and microscopic structure of graphene oxide. Discussions will include matrix composition, pore structure, micro structure, workability, compressive, tensile, and flexural strength etc. In addition, the dispersion of graphene oxide in the cement paste, the improvement of GO dispersion with silica fume, the distribution of porosity and pore size, the solubility of water, the morphology and microstructure, the impact of hydration times on the microstructure, the regulation mechanism of GO in cement hydration products, and fluidity will all be observed and summarised. The composition, pore size distribution, and microstructure of concrete are studied using a variety of microstructure characterisation techniques, such as XRD, MIP, and SEM.