This document summarizes research on improving cement and concrete properties through the addition of nano-materials. It provides optimization levels for unary additions of nano-silica (0.75%), carbon nanotubes (0.02%), and titanium dioxide (1%) based on compressive strength testing up to 28 days. However, binary and ternary combinations of these nano-materials did not produce clear strength gains compared to plain cement mortar. Further microstructural characterization is needed to understand interactions between nano-materials in concrete mixtures.

1. Mainak Ghosal –Research Scholar
&
Prof.Arun Kr. Chakraborty
Dep’t of Civil Engineering,IIEST,Shibpur,India.
(Formerly Bengal Engineering & Science University)
Email:mainakghosal2010@gmail.com

2.  Improving Cement/Concrete
properties by addition of
nano materials

3. What
is
Nano
Technology ?

5. Nanotechnology is the
manipulation of matter on
an atomic, molecular
&
supramolecular scale

6.  The ISO defines :
Nanoscale (or nano[10-9] range): Size range from
approximately 1 nm to 100 nm

8. “The construction industry was the only industry to
identify nanotechnology as a promising emerging
technology in the UK Delphi Survey in the early
1990s… However, construction has lagged behind
other industrial sectors, such as automotive, chemicals,
electronics and biotech sectors, where nanotechnology
R&D has attracted significant interest and investment
from large industrial corporations and venture
capitalists.”
“Application of Nanotechnology in Construction”, Materials and
Structures, 37, 649 (2004), Springer.

9.  Improves the materials’ bulk properties.
 To obtain thinner final elements(more Floor Space)
and quicker setting time.
 Brings down Weight & Cost Effective.
 Allows For Rationalization Of Design.
 Lowered levels of environmental contamination.
 Improved Carbon Ratings.

10.  Nano-Silica(nS)
 Carbon Nanotubes.(CNT)
 Titanium Oxides(TiO2)

11.  It is the first nano-product that replaced micro-
silica.
 Advancement made by the study of concrete at
nanoscale have proved nano-silica much better
than silica used in conventional concrete.

12. Sample
(Nano -
Silica)
%
Content(L
it.)
Specific
Gravity(La
b.)
%
Content(L
ab.)
Specific Gravity(Lit.)
XLP 14-16% 1.12 21.4% 1.08-1.11
XTX 30-32% 1.16 40.74% 1.20-1.22
XFXLa 40-43% 1.24 41.935% 1.30-1.32

14. o Carbon Nano Tubes(CNTs) are molecular scale
tubes of graphitic Carbon with excellent
properties.
o They can be several millimeters in length &
can have one “layer” or wall (Single walled
nano tubes) or more than one wall (Multi
walled nano tubes)

15.  Excellent MECHANICAL Properties[Stronger than
Steel, Lighter than Aluminum, Elastic like Plastic]
 Has ELECTRICAL [Electric Conductivity]Properties
 Has THERMAL[Fire Resisting Properties]
 Have smaller diameters.
 Are the stiffest & strongest fibers
 Highly Flexible

16. Item Description
Diameter 20-40nm
Length 25-45nm
Purity 80-85%(a/c Raman Spectrometer & SEM analysis)
Amorphous Carbon 5-8%
Residue(Calcination in Air) 5-6% by Wt.
Average interlayer distance 0.34nm
Specific surface area 90-220 m2/g
Bulk density 0.07-0.32gm/cc
Real density 1-8 gm/cc
Volume Resistivity 0.1-0.15 ohm.cm(measured at pressure in powder)

18.  Most Widely Used Construction Material
 In India, TiO2 is Manufactured from Kerala’s Beach
Sand.

19.  Have excellent Self-Cleansing Properties
 Results in the Improvement of the Compressive
strength of Paste, Mortar and Concrete
 cvcConventional
Glass
Self-Cleaning
Glass

20. Nano Titanium Oxide % 97
Rutile content % 98
pH 7
Average particle size (TEM) 30-40 nm
Treatment Nil
Moisture % 1.75-2
Bulk Density 0.31gm/cc
Water Solubility In-soluble

22. SCOPE OF WORK:-
The AIM is to Investigate the
INFLUENCES of
UNARY/BINARY/TERNARY Nano-
Additions(Dopings) on ordinary Cement
Composites
To develop OPTIMIZED mix for
UNARY addition of Nano-materials
(nS, CNT & n-TiO2) & TESTING
the same for BINARY/TERNARY
additions.

23. EXPERIMENTA
L
PROGRAMME:-
Tests are done in
mortar samples
using OPC for
diff. %s of
UNARY/BINARY
/TERNARYnano-
additions
Materials
Cement-OPC
Water
Drinking/Tap
water
Chemical Admixture
Superpasticizer
( Poly Carboxylate
Ether)
*NANO
SILICA,CARBON
NANO-TUBES &
TITANIUM OXIDE
Fine /Coarse
Aggregate
Natural River
Sand/20 &10mm

24. TEST-PROCEDURES

25. Testing the
Compressive
Strength of
Cement Mortar
after 7, 28,90 &
180 days ordinary
curing in
TESTING M/C.
(I) Testing
of UNARY
addition of
nS,CNT
&TiO2 in
OPC
Mortar cubes
filled with
Cement : Sand =
1: 3 with Water
& UNARY nano
additions

26. II)Testing of
BINARY
addition of
nS,CNT
&TiO2 in
OPC
Testing the
Compressive
Strength of
Cement Mortar
after 1 day,
3days, 7days,
28days ordinary
curing in
TESTING M/C
Mortar cubes
filled with
Cement : Sand =
1: 3 with Water
added & BINARY
nano additions

27. II) Testing of
TERNARY
addition of
nS,CNT
&TiO2 in
OPC
Testing the
Compressive
Strength of
Cement Mortar
after 1 day, 3days,
7days, 28days
ordinary curing in
TESTING M/C
Mortar cubes
filled with
Cement : Sand =
1: 3 with Water
added &
TERNARY nano
additions

29.  (i) The following Tables show
the Cement Mortar Results with
UNARY/BINARY/TERNARY
Additions of Nano-Silica,Carbon
Nanotubes & Nano-Titanium Di-
Oxide:-

30. % Nano
additions in
Cement
7 Days Strength
(% incr.)
28 Days Strength
(% incr.)
90 Days Strength
(% incr.)
180 Days Strength
(% incr.)
0% nS
21.08 MPa
(--)
31.89MPa
(--)
31.20MPa
(--)
30.01MPa
(--)
0.5% nS
23.85MPa
(13.14%)
35.1MPa
(11.35%)
41.30MPa
(32.37%)
27.47MPa
(-9.24%)
0.75% nS
27.73MPa
(31.54%)
42.27MPa
(32.55%)
49.85MPa
(59.78%)
32.52MPa
(8.36%)
1.0% nS
25.07MPa
(18.93%)
37.36MPa
(17.15%)
42.98MPa
(37.76%)
33.68MPa
(12.23%)
1.25% nS
23.17MPa
(9.91%)
30.85MPa
(-3.26%)
39.45MPa
(26.44%)
35.24MPa
(17.43%)
1.50% nS 23.81MPa
(12.95%)
37.79MPa
(18.50%)
33.42MPa
(7.12%)
31.23MPa
(4.07%)

31. % Nano
additions in
Cement
7 Days
Compressive
Str
(% incr.)
28 Days
Compressive Str
(% incr.)
90 Days
Compressive Str
(% incr.)
180 Days
Compressive Str
(% incr.)
0%
CNT/TiO2
21.08MPa
(--)
31.89MPa
(--)
31.20MPa
(--)
30.01MPa
(--)
0.02%CNT 17.69MPa
(-16.08%)
43.75MPa
(37.19%)
35.59MPa
(14.07%)
30.89MPa
(0%)
0.05%CNT
27.19MPa
(28.98%)
34.88MPa
(9.37%)
31.85MPa
(2.08%)
38.55MPa
(3%)
0.1%CNT 21.69MPa
(2.89%)
24.83MPa
(-22.14%)
31.50MPa
(0.96%)
30.16MPa
(0%)
1%TiO2
25.24MPa
(19.73%)
36.71MPa
(12.59%)
35.92MPa
(15.13%)
33.42MPa
(11.36%)
2.5%TiO2
20.34MPa
(-3.51%)
34.97MPa
(9.58%)
37.80MPa
(21.15%)
40.95MPa
(36.45%)

32. BINARY Nano
Additions
7 Days
Compressive
Str
(% incr.)
28 Days
Compressive
Str
(% incr.)
90 Days
Compressive
Str
(% incr.)
180 Days
Compressive
Str
(% incr.)
1%PCE+0.75%
nS + 0.02%
CNT
29.64 Mpa
(40.61%)
26.53 Mpa
(-16.81%)
38.31 Mpa
(22.75%)
48.2 Mpa
(60%)

33. TERNARY
Nano
Additions
7 Days
Compressive
Str
(% incr.)
28 Days
Compressive
Str
(% incr.)
90 Days
Compressive
Str
(% incr.)
180 Days
Compressive
Str
(% incr.)
1%PCE+0.75
% nS + 0.02%
CNT +1%TiO2
21.27 MPa
(16.55%)
27.23 MPa
(-5%)
35.71 Mpa
(-7.7%)
41.07 Mpa
(-1.8%)

34. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1 day 3 days 7 days 28 days 90 days 180 days
CompressiveStrength
Age
Ctrl Samp.
Ns=0.5%
nS=0.75%
nS=1.0%
nS=1.25%
nS=1.5%

35. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
1 day 3 days 7 days 28 days 90 days 180 days
CompressiveStrength
Age
Ctrl Samp.
SP
SP+CNT
PCE
PCE+0.02%CNT
PCE+0.05%CNT
PCE+0.1%CNT

36. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
OPC(0% PCE+0%TiO2) OPC(1% PCE+0%TiO2) OPC(1% PCE+1%TiO2) OPC(1% PCE+2.5%TiO2)
CompressiveStrength
Dosage of Nano-TiO2 addition
1 day
3 day
7 day
28 day
90 day
180 day

37. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
7 days 28 days 90 days 180 days
CompressiveStrength
Age
Ctrl Samp.
0.02%CNT
nS=0.75%
0.75%nS+0.02%CNT
0.75%nS+0.02%CNT+1%TiO2
0.75%nS+0.02%CNT+1%TiO22

38. The results showed that the optimizations for
Unary addition of nano materials are
nS=0.75% ,CNT=0.02% & TiO2=1.0% & these
optimizations showed good results for upto 28
days but contradicted at later ages.

39. For Binary & Ternary nano
additions the results did not
produced any fair gain in
compressive strength over
ordinary cement mortar
barring some exceptions. The
reason may be incompatibility
among the nano materials
when mixed together with the
basic cement mortar.

40.  The results showed that the
OPTIMIZATIONS for Nano
Materials in Cement Mortar -
nS,CNT & TiO2 are
0.75%,0.02% & 1% w.r.to
Cement weight for UNARY
additions

41.  Binary & Ternary nano
additions with the same UNARY
OPTIMIZATIONS failed to
produce any strength gain.

42.  Further research on MICRO
STRUCTURAL studies are
necessary for Characterization
of Nano Materials in Concrete