A Study of Calcium-Silicate-Hydrate/Polymer Nanocomposites Fabricated Using the Layer-By-Layer Method

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Calcium-silicate-hydrate (CSH) is a key component in cementitious materials.
• Polymer nanocomposites offer tunable properties for advanced applications.
• The layer-by-layer (LBL) method enables precise control over nanocomposite fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize CSH/polymer nanocomposites using the LBL method.
• To investigate the influence of polymer type, dipping time, C/S ratio, and pH on CSH/polymer morphology.
• To evaluate the effect of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets on CSH nucleation and nanocomposite structure.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of CSH/polymer nanocomposites via the layer-by-layer (LBL) technique.
• Morphological analysis using atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging.
• Mechanical property assessment via AFM nanoindentation.

Main Results:

• CSH/polymer nanocomposites exhibited varied morphologies depending on polymer composition.
• Young's modulus showed no significant differences across the studied nanocomposites.
• Graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets promoted CSH nucleation, increasing particle density on the nanosheet surface.
• GO-containing nanocomposites displayed increased roughness and reduced packing density.

Conclusions:

• The LBL method is effective for fabricating CSH/polymer nanocomposites with tunable morphologies.
• Graphene oxide acts as a nucleation site, enhancing CSH formation within nanocomposites.
• While GO influences morphology and nucleation, its impact on Young's modulus in these systems was minimal.