Effect of Nano-Materials on Autogenous Shrinkage Properties of Cement Based Materials

This paper presents an experimental investigation on the effect of nano-montmorillonite, carbon nanotubes, and nano calcium carbonate on autogenous shrinkage of cement based materials. Cement paste with different nano-montmorillonite dosage (1.0 wt.%, 2.0 wt.%, 3.0 wt.%), carbon nanotubes dosage (0.1 wt.%, 0.2 wt.%, 0.3 wt.%), and nano calcium carbonate dosage (1.0 wt.%, 2.0 wt.%, 3.0 wt.%) were compared with the reference group to assess the effects of nano-materials on cement paste. Results show that autogenous shrinkage of cement based materials containing nano-materials mainly occurs in the first 72 h. Nano-materials decrease the autogenous shrinkage of the investigated cement based materials at all ages. Compared with that of the reference group at the age of 168 h, the autogenous shrinkage of NM-modified cement based composites containing 3.0 wt.% NM decreased by as much as 57.4%; the autogenous shrinkage of CNTs-modified cement based composites containing 0.3 wt.% CNTs decreased by as much as 19.4%; the autogenous shrinkage of NC-modified cement based composites containing 2.0 wt.% NC decreased by as much as 17.1%. Electrochemical AC (Alternating Current) impedance spectroscopy results show that the resistance of the pore solution electrolyte of specimens containing nano-materials increases with age, and is less than that of specimens without nano-materials, which illustrates that the pore size of nano-modified cement based material is finer and autogenous shrinkage is smaller. Scanning electron microscope results show that the structure of cement matrix is denser with more hydration products by adding nano-materials. Nano-montmorillonite releases water to reduce self-drying effect during the process of hydration for its well water swelling. Carbon nanotubes have the nanometer filling effect and form a continuous network to restrain the early autogenous shrinkage of cement paste. Nano calcium carbonate not only decreases the porosity of the cement paste, but also reacts with tricalcium aluminate to generate the expanded product calcium carboaluminate for compensating autogenous shrinkage of cement paste.