Board 249: Effect of Carbon Nanomaterials on the Compressive Strength of Cement Mortar: Research at Marshall University’s 2023 REU Site

Jay Bow; Sungmin Youn; Sukjoon Na

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: NSF Grantees Poster Session
Tagged Topics: Diversity and NSF Grantees Poster Session
Permanent URL: https://strategy.asee.org/46820

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Paper Authors

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Jay Bow Fairmont State University

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Jay Bow is an undergraduate forensic science major with experience in forensic anthropology and osteology research who participated in Marshall University's summer 2023 REU Site called Investigation of Subterranean Features in the Appalachian Region.

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Sungmin Youn Marshall University orcid.org/0000-0001-5741-0690

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I am an Associate Professor at Marshall University, focusing on environmental engineering and nanotechnology. My research involves the fate and transport of contaminants in engineered systems and sustainable developments for cementitious materials. I have published impactful articles and secured several external grants for projects from the EPA, NSF, and DoD. As a mentor and educator, I strive to adapt to each student's needs and foster a collaborative environment.

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Sukjoon Na Marshall University

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Since 2018, Dr. Sukjoon Na has been an assistant professor of Civil Engineering at Marshall University in West Virginia. With a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering earned from Drexel University, Dr. Na specializes in developing innovative and sustainable construction materials, coupled with expertise in failure analysis. His notable contributions include presentations at prestigious journals and conferences dedicated to materials engineering and fracture mechanics, reflecting his active engagement and expertise in the field. Dr. Na received the Best Paper Award in Failure Analysis and Prevention at the Society of Plastic Engineers (SPE) annual technical conferences in 2013 and 2016.

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Abstract

When mixed with water and aggregate, cement is useful in the construction industry due to its strength, versatility, and durability, and additives are often incorporated to improve these properties. This research integrates carbon nanomaterials including graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into Type 1 cement mortar cubes to investigate their effect on the compressive strength of the resulting concrete. Researchers have previously investigated this topic and the current study seeks to find the optimum amount of carbon nanomaterials to maximize the compressive strength. A water-to-cement (w/c) ratio of 0.45 and sand-to-cement ratio of 2.75 were used to mix fresh cement mortar. The sand was oven-dried and sieved by a No. 10 standard sieve (2 mm). A non-ionic surfactant, Igepal Co-630 combined with ultrasonic dispersion was applied to disperse the carbon nanomaterials before incorporating them into the cement mortar. The tested graphene-to-cement ratios include 0.1%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2%. For CNTs, 0.5% and 0.1% of CNTs were tested. Cement mortar cube specimens with dimensions of 2 in × 2 in × 2 in were molded, and all specimens were cured in water at room temperature until compression strength testing at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. The experimental results show that adding the tested amount of carbon nanomaterials had negative effects on the compressive strength, and the 28-day strength generally decreased as the amount of the content increased, although there were a few enhanced cases at early-stage strength. These controversial results could be derived from the high content of carbon nanomaterials or improper preparation of test samples. Further research will be conducted to conclude the effect of carbon nanomaterials. This paper describes the experience and outcomes of a non-engineering major who participated in a 10-week Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) project on civil engineering materials at Marshall University. The main objective of the project was to investigate the effects of carbon nanomaterials on the mechanical properties and durability of cement mortar. The non-engineering major was involved in manufacturing and testing cement mortar cubes with different concentrations of carbon nanotubes and graphene using an ASTM standardized procedure. The paper reflects on the benefits and challenges of conducting quantitative research in an engineering field, such as learning how to use laboratory equipment, analyze data, and write technical reports. The paper also discusses how the interdisciplinary nature of the project helped to broaden the perspective and enhance the problem-solving abilities of the non-engineering major, who applied concepts and methods from forensic anthropology to engineering materials. The paper concludes that the REU project was a valuable opportunity to learn about engineering research and education, despite the inconclusive results that are possibly due to experimental errors, and how the field of anthropology differs from civil engineering.

Citation
Format

Bow, J., & Youn, S., & Na, S. (2024, June), Board 249: Effect of Carbon Nanomaterials on the Compressive Strength of Cement Mortar: Research at Marshall University’s 2023 REU Site Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://strategy.asee.org/46820

TY - CPAPER
AB - When mixed with water and aggregate, cement is useful in the construction industry due to its strength, versatility, and durability, and additives are often incorporated to improve these properties. This research integrates carbon nanomaterials including graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into Type 1 cement mortar cubes to investigate their effect on the compressive strength of the resulting concrete. Researchers have previously investigated this topic and the current study seeks to find the optimum amount of carbon nanomaterials to maximize the compressive strength. A water-to-cement (w/c) ratio of 0.45 and sand-to-cement ratio of 2.75 were used to mix fresh cement mortar. The sand was oven-dried and sieved by a No. 10 standard sieve (2 mm). A non-ionic surfactant, Igepal Co-630 combined with ultrasonic dispersion was applied to disperse the carbon nanomaterials before incorporating them into the cement mortar. The tested graphene-to-cement ratios include 0.1%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2%. For CNTs, 0.5% and 0.1% of CNTs were tested. Cement mortar cube specimens with dimensions of 2 in × 2 in × 2 in were molded, and all specimens were cured in water at room temperature until compression strength testing at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. The experimental results show that adding the tested amount of carbon nanomaterials had negative effects on the compressive strength, and the 28-day strength generally decreased as the amount of the content increased, although there were a few enhanced cases at early-stage strength. These controversial results could be derived from the high content of carbon nanomaterials or improper preparation of test samples. Further research will be conducted to conclude the effect of carbon nanomaterials.
This paper describes the experience and outcomes of a non-engineering major who participated in a 10-week Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) project on civil engineering materials at Marshall University. The main objective of the project was to investigate the effects of carbon nanomaterials on the mechanical properties and durability of cement mortar. The non-engineering major was involved in manufacturing and testing cement mortar cubes with different concentrations of carbon nanotubes and graphene using an ASTM standardized procedure. The paper reflects on the benefits and challenges of conducting quantitative research in an engineering field, such as learning how to use laboratory equipment, analyze data, and write technical reports. The paper also discusses how the interdisciplinary nature of the project helped to broaden the perspective and enhance the problem-solving abilities of the non-engineering major, who applied concepts and methods from forensic anthropology to engineering materials. The paper concludes that the REU project was a valuable opportunity to learn about engineering research and education, despite the inconclusive results that are possibly due to experimental errors, and how the field of anthropology differs from civil engineering.
AU - Jay Bow
AU - Sungmin Youn
AU - Sukjoon Na
CY - Portland, Oregon
DA - 2024/06/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Board 249: Effect of Carbon Nanomaterials on the Compressive Strength of Cement Mortar: Research at Marshall University’s 2023 REU Site
UR - https://strategy.asee.org/46820
ER -