May the Piezoresistivity of GNP-Modified Cement Mortar Be Related to Its Fractal Structure?
High piezoresistivity of cement-based composites tuned by conductible fillers provides a feasible way to develop self-sensing smart structures and buildings. However, the microstructural mechanisms remain to be properly understood. In the present work, the piezoresistivity of cement mortar with diff...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Fractal and Fractional |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3110/5/4/148 |
| _version_ | 1797504564244512768 |
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| author | Nanxi Dang Jin Tao Qiang Zeng Weijian Zhao |
| author_facet | Nanxi Dang Jin Tao Qiang Zeng Weijian Zhao |
| author_sort | Nanxi Dang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | High piezoresistivity of cement-based composites tuned by conductible fillers provides a feasible way to develop self-sensing smart structures and buildings. However, the microstructural mechanisms remain to be properly understood. In the present work, the piezoresistivity of cement mortar with different dosages of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) was investigated, and the microstructure was assessed by electron scanning microscopy (SEM) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). Two surface fractal models were introduced to interpret the MIP data to explore the multi-scale fractal structure of the GNP-modified cement mortars. Results show that the incorporation of GNPs into cement mortar can roughen the fracture surfaces due to the GNPs’ agglomeration. Gauge factor (GF) rises and falls as GNP content increases from 0% to 1% with the optimal piezoresistivity observed at GNP = 0.1% and 0.05%. The GF values of the optimum mortar are over 50 times higher than those of the reference mortar. Fractal dimensions in macro and micro fractal regions change with GNP content. Analysis shows that the fractal dimensions in micro region decrease first and then increase with the increase of GF values. GNPs not only impact the fractal structure of cement mortar, but also alter the tunneling and contact effects that govern the piezoresistivity of composite materials. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:06:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-86f51688d5c344ecb3d18850c7f52456 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2504-3110 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:06:20Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fractal and Fractional |
| spelling | doaj.art-86f51688d5c344ecb3d18850c7f524562023-11-23T08:22:55ZengMDPI AGFractal and Fractional2504-31102021-09-015414810.3390/fractalfract5040148May the Piezoresistivity of GNP-Modified Cement Mortar Be Related to Its Fractal Structure?Nanxi Dang0Jin Tao1Qiang Zeng2Weijian Zhao3College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, ChinaHigh piezoresistivity of cement-based composites tuned by conductible fillers provides a feasible way to develop self-sensing smart structures and buildings. However, the microstructural mechanisms remain to be properly understood. In the present work, the piezoresistivity of cement mortar with different dosages of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) was investigated, and the microstructure was assessed by electron scanning microscopy (SEM) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). Two surface fractal models were introduced to interpret the MIP data to explore the multi-scale fractal structure of the GNP-modified cement mortars. Results show that the incorporation of GNPs into cement mortar can roughen the fracture surfaces due to the GNPs’ agglomeration. Gauge factor (GF) rises and falls as GNP content increases from 0% to 1% with the optimal piezoresistivity observed at GNP = 0.1% and 0.05%. The GF values of the optimum mortar are over 50 times higher than those of the reference mortar. Fractal dimensions in macro and micro fractal regions change with GNP content. Analysis shows that the fractal dimensions in micro region decrease first and then increase with the increase of GF values. GNPs not only impact the fractal structure of cement mortar, but also alter the tunneling and contact effects that govern the piezoresistivity of composite materials.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3110/5/4/148graphenemortarpiezoresistivityfractal dimensionmodel |
| spellingShingle | Nanxi Dang Jin Tao Qiang Zeng Weijian Zhao May the Piezoresistivity of GNP-Modified Cement Mortar Be Related to Its Fractal Structure? Fractal and Fractional graphene mortar piezoresistivity fractal dimension model |
| title | May the Piezoresistivity of GNP-Modified Cement Mortar Be Related to Its Fractal Structure? |
| title_full | May the Piezoresistivity of GNP-Modified Cement Mortar Be Related to Its Fractal Structure? |
| title_fullStr | May the Piezoresistivity of GNP-Modified Cement Mortar Be Related to Its Fractal Structure? |
| title_full_unstemmed | May the Piezoresistivity of GNP-Modified Cement Mortar Be Related to Its Fractal Structure? |
| title_short | May the Piezoresistivity of GNP-Modified Cement Mortar Be Related to Its Fractal Structure? |
| title_sort | may the piezoresistivity of gnp modified cement mortar be related to its fractal structure |
| topic | graphene mortar piezoresistivity fractal dimension model |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3110/5/4/148 |
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