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USE OF NANOTECHNOLOGY

IN CONCRETE

Introduction

• Nanotechnology is not exactly a

new technology.

• Nanotechnology offers the possibility of

great advances in construction.

• As concrete is most usable material in

construction industry it’s been required to

improve its quality.

What is Nanotechnology ??

Nanotechnology is the understanding, control,

and restructuring of matter on the order of

nanometers (i.e., less than 100 nm) to create

materials with fundamentally new properties

and functions.

Two terms in nanotechnology

• Nano science

• Nano engineering

Two approaches

• Top down approach

(decomposition)

• Bottom top approach.

NANOTECHNOLOGY

and CONCRETE

• Concrete is a nanostructured,

multi-phase, composite material.

• It composed of an amorphous phase, nanometer to

micrometer size crystals, and bound water.

• The amorphous phase calcium–silicate–hydrate

(C–S–H) is the ‘‘glue” that holds concrete together

which is nanosized

Why nanotechnology for concrete?

• Improves the materials’ bulk

properties.

• Ability to control nanoscale attack on

ASR (ALKALI SILICATE REACTION)

• To obtain thinner final products and faster setting time.

• Lowered levels of environmental attack

Techniques for analysis of concrete

at nanoscale

• AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy)

• SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy)

• FIB (Focused Ion Beam)

AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy)

• very high-resolution type of scanning probe

microscopy.

Nano-engineering or nanomodification

of cement

CEMENT ADDITIVES

• Novel superplasticizers

• Nanoparticles

• Nanoreinforcement

ADDITION OF NANOSIZED AND NANO -

STRUCTURED MATERIALS IN CONCRETE

• nano-silica (nano-SiO2)

• nano-titanium oxide (nano-TiO2)

• nano-iron (nano-Fe2O3)

• nano-alumina (nano-Al2O3)

• nanoclay particles

• nanotubes/nanofibers (CNTs/CNFs)

nano-SiO2

Use of Nanoreinforcements

• Nanotubes(CNTs)

• Nanofibers(CNFs)

CNTs

CNFs

Main issues

• High cost

• Environmental effects

• Health effects.

• Lack of vision to identify those aspects that could be

changed through its use.

• Lack of skilled personnel.

• Level of investment.

Conclusion

• Active research area.

• addition of nano particles have shown

significant improvement than conventional

concrete

• current challenges need to be solved before

the full potential of nanotechnology can be

realized in concrete applications