The effects of CuO nanoparticles on properties of self compacting concrete with GGBFS as binder

• Published in: Materials research (São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil) Vol. 14; no. 3; pp. 307 - 316
• Main Authors: Nazari, A, Rafieipour, M H, Riahi, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese; Spanish
• Published: ABM, ABC, ABPol 01.09.2011; Associação Brasileira de Metalurgia e Materiais (ABM); Associação Brasileira de Cerâmica (ABC); Associação Brasileira de Polímeros (ABPol)
• Subjects: Age; BINDERS; Blast furnace slags; BLAST FURNACES; compressive strength; CONCRETE; Concretes; COPPER OXIDE; CuO nanoparticles; CURING; ENGINEERING, CHEMICAL; flexural strength; GRANULATION; ground granulated blast furnace slag; Grounds; Hydration; MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY; MECHANICAL PROPERTIES; METALLURGY & METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING; Nanoparticles; PARTICLE SIZE AND SHAPE; PARTICLES; pore structure; PROPERTIES; SEM; SLAGS; split tensile strength; Splitting; TENSILE STRENGTH; XRD; concrete; compressive strength; flexural strength; ground granulated blast furnace slag; SEM; XRD; pore structure; CuO nanoparticles; split tensile strength
• ISSN: 1516-1439; 1980-5373; 1980-5373
• DOI: 10.1590/S1516-14392011005000061

The strength assessments and water absorption of high performance self compacting concrete containing different amounts of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) and CuO nanoparticles as binder were investigated. Portland cement was replaced by different amounts of GGBFS and the properties of the concrete specimens were determined. Although it adversely affects the physical and mechanical properties of concrete at an early age of curing, ground GGBFS was found to improve the properties up to 45 wt% at later ages. CuO nanoparticles with an average particle size of 15 nm were partially added to concrete with the optimum content of GGBFS and the physical and mechanical properties of the specimens were measured. CuO nanoparticles as a partial replacement of cement up to 3.0 wt% could accelerate C-S-H gel formation as a result of increased crystalline Ca(OH)2 amount at an early age of hydration and hence increase strength and improve the resistance to water permeability. A CuO nanoparticle content > 3.0 wt% reduced the splitting tensile strength because of the decreased crystalline Ca(OH)2 content required for C-S-H gel formation. Several empirical relationships are presented to predict flexural and splitting tensile strength of the specimens by means of the corresponding compressive strength at a certain age of curing. A more rapid appearance of peaks related to hydration products in XRD results, indicates that CuO nanoparticles improve the properties.