Mechanical properties and ablation behaviour of nuclear sacrificial materials containing graphene sulfonate nanosheets. (10th December 2018) - Chu, Hong-yan
Graphical abstract: Highlights: Mechanical properties and ablation behaviour of sacrificial materials are studied. Optimal amount of GSNSs is 0.1 wt% in sacrificial materials. Flexural strength of sacrificial mortar increases by 16.22% via GSNSs. Compressive strength of sacrificial mortar is up by 24.44% via GSNSs. Ablation rate of sacrificial mortar decreases by 50.33% via GSNSs. Abstract: Graphene and its derivatives have been attracting the widespread interest of researchers because of their capability to improve several properties (e.g. mechanical properties, durability, anti-corrosion) of cementitious composites. This paper presents an experimental study on the influence of graphene sulfonate nanosheets (GSNSs) on mechanical properties and ablation behaviour of ferro-siliceous sacrificial cement paste and mortar, including flexural strength, compressive strength, microstructure, porosity, and thermal properties. Based on the results of differential scanning calorimetry and decomposition temperatures, the decomposition enthalpy of ferro-siliceous sacrificial cement paste and mortar was determined. It was found that, (1) the flexural strength and compressive strength of ferro-siliceous sacrificial mortar were increased by 16.22% and 24.44% respectively with the addition of 0.1 wt% GSNSs; (2) the decomposition enthalpy of ferro-siliceous sacrificial mortar was increased by 14.65%, 101.33%, and 135.15%, when adding 0.03 wt%, 0.1 wt%, and 0.3 wt% GSNSs, respectively; (3) the optimum GSNSs content was 0.1 wt% considering the mechanical strength, microstructure, and ablation rate of ferro-siliceous sacrificial cement paste and mortar. These findings can guide the design of ferro-siliceous sacrificial composites, e.g., cement paste, mortar, and even concrete containing GSNSs.