Co-effects of graphene oxide and silica fume on the rheological properties of cement paste

Abstract

Polycarboxylate superplasticizer is typically used to prepare a high-quality graphene oxide (GO) solution before mixing with cement grains. However, even if GO is well dispersed in water, they tend to re-agglomerate in the alkaline cement hydration environment, thus seriously decreasing the workability of the fresh mixture. In this study, we propose a more targeted method by synthesizing GO-coated silica fume (SF) to promote the utilization of GO in cement-based materials. Specifically, the surface of pristine SF was modified to convert their zeta potential (modified SF: MSF), then GO-coated SF (i.e., MSF@GO) was prepared via electrostatic adsorption of GO onto the MSF surface. The experimental results revealed that adding 5MSF@GO hybrid (0.04% GO and 5% MSF, by weight of binder) significantly reduced yield stress and plastic viscosity by 51.5% and 26.2%, respectively, relative to the 0.04% GO-modified sample. These findings indicated that application of GO-coated SF is an effective and environmentally friendly way to develop sustainable cementitious composites.