Introduction

Cement is a fragile material and often subject to the onset of micro-cracks when used alone. For this reason it is often used with the addition of reinforcing fibers, such as carbon fibers. The aim of this invention is to improve the compatibility between the cementitious material and the reinforcing fibers, using hybridized sp2 carbon allotropes with nanometric dimensions.

Technical features

Carbon fibers are ideal reinforcement due to their excellent mechanical and electrical properties. The disadvantage of using carbon fibers lies in the tendency to segregate. To avoid it, on a fiber containing polar groups (for example polymers) and functionalized with pyrrole derivatives, an allotrope of carbon (i.e. nanotubes) is reacted, forming an adduct. The adduct can have different functional groups in order to modulate its solubility according to the medium, increasing the compatibility with the cement matrix. The process described here allows to obtain a dispersion of the extremely homogeneous reinforcement inside the cement material, conferring also incredible mechanical and electrical properties.

Possible Applications

• Buildings;
• Infrastructures.

Advantages

• Homogeneus reinforcement dispercity;
• Interface compatibility between matrix and reinforcement;
• Reproducible results;
• Increased mechanical and electrical properties.