Aluminum Oxide Nanoparticles in Cement Mortar

Compressive, tensile, and flexural strength of cement mortar containing 1, 3, and 5 wt% of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles, were investigated. The high homogenous dispersion of nanoparticles strongly depends on stable suspension preparation. The results show that when the amount of nanoparticles added is more than 5 wt%, the strengths is reduced to less than the strength of ordinary cement mortar. The microstructure of ordinary cement mortar is not dense and voids could be observed, along with large crystals of Ca(OH)2. The cement mortar sample containing 1% nanoparticles shows the structure has become denser and the voids decreased, as compared to the sample of ordinary cement mortar, but large crystals of Ca(OH)2 are observed.