Use of Clay and Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles in Mortar and Concrete—A State-of-the-Art Analysis

Abstract

In the past decades, nanomaterials have become one of the focal points in civil engineering research. When added to cement-based construction materials (e.g., concrete), it results in significant improvements in their strength and other important properties. However, the final mix characteristics depend on many variables that must be taken into account. As such, there is no general consensus regarding the influence upon the original material of certain nano-sized additives, the optimum dosage or the synergistic effect of two or more nano-materials. This is also the case for titanium dioxide (TiO2) and nanoclay (NC). The paper focuses on reporting the existing research data on the use of the above-mentioned materials when added to mortar and concrete. The collected data is summarized and presented in terms of strength and durability properties of cement mortar and concrete containing either TiO2 or NC. Both nano-materials have been proven, by various studies, to increase the strength of the composite, at both room and elevated temperature, when added by themselves in 0.5%~12% for TiO2 and 0.25%~6% for NC. It can be inferred that a combination of the two with the cementitious matrix can be beneficial and may lead to obtaining a new material with improved strength, elastic and durability properties that can be applied in the construction industry, with implications at the economic, social and environmental levels.

Nanoclays as fillers for performance enhancement in building and construction industries: State of the art and future trends

“…Nanoclays as Fillers for Performance Enhancement in Building and Construction Industries… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.1005147 chemical composition, and microscopic structure of the crystal lattice, there are different types of nanoclays, including montmorillonite, bentonite, kaolinite, hectorite, and halloysite nanoclay [74][75][76]. Kaolinite is a 1:1 type of clay mineral with a silica tetrahedral sheet connected to an alumina octahedral sheet connected by hydrogen atoms, with the chemical formula Al2Si2O5 (OH)4 [77][78][79]. The nanoclay of the kaolinite group has remarkable chemical and physical characteristics, including a high specific surface area, corrosion resistance, low density, and high thermal stability [79].…”

“…In natural kaolinite, Al 3+ is replaced by Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , or Fe 2+ , while Si 4+ is replaced by Al 3+ or Fe 3+ , resulting in an insufficient charge in the crystal lattice and a negatively charged surface [60]. Montmorillonite (MMT) nanoclay has a 2:1 structure with weak Van der Waals forces keeping the outer layers together, consisting of (Na,Ca) 0.33 (Al,Mg) [77,80]. MMT, with its high aspect ratio, surface area, high cation-exchange capacities, and excellent mechanical properties, can swell up to several times its original size when exposed to water [48,81].…”

Effect of titanium dioxide as nanomaterials on mechanical and durability properties of rubberised concrete by applying RSM modelling and optimizations

“…It provides a well-rounded approach that combines modelling flexibility, experimental efficiency, and interpretative capability. There are many experimental investigations performed on the TiO 2 as nanomaterials (Al-Rbaihat and Al-Marafi, 2023;Bunea et al, 2023;Mostafa et al, 2023;Rawat et al, 2023) and CR as replacement for sand in concrete individually (Shahjalal et al, 2023;Youssf et al, 2023;Aghamohammadi et al, 2024) but there is very limited research were accomplished on rubberised concrete mixed with TiO 2 as nanoscale particle. Therefore, this study aims to experimentally explore the integration of titanium dioxide as a nanomaterial into rubberized concrete.…”

The Corrosion Inhibition of Montmorillonite Nanoclay for Steel in Acidic Solution

“…Moreover, XRD is used to study the structure of the montmorillonite nanoclay. The literature is abundant with research and reviews stressing the importance and viability of clay-based coatings across diverse engineering materials [ 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ].…”