Microstructural and Mechanical Properties of Cement Blended with TEOS/PVP Nanofibers Containing CNTs

In this investigation, we mixed cement with electrospun nanofibers made of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and polyvidone (PVP), as well as a modified version with carbon nanotubes (CNT). When we incorporated TEOS/PVP and CNT-TEOS/PVP nanofibers into the cementitious materials, the results of mechanical strength tests showed improvements in compressive strength of 28% and 38% and in toughness of 54% and 66%, respectively. We observed the morphology and texture of the fibers using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analyses. In addition, based on our SEM, energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), we observed that the matrix structure was compacted due to the nanofiber's matrix-bridging effect and the increase in hydration products. Therefore, the results of our microstructure studies agree with those of the mechanical strength tests. Our findings can be used to increase cement quality while lowering overall usage, thereby minimizing its environmental impacts.