APPLICATION OF

NANOTECHNOLOGY IN
CIVIL ENGINEERING
HARI R
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
COIMBATORE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Contents

Introduction

Manufacture

Properties

Self heating concrete

Applications

Conclusion

INTRODUCTION
Tiand

Ti

CNTs applications

- self cleaning glass

CNT

strengthen and monitor concrete

EVOLUTION OF CONCRETE FROM

MILLIMETER TO NANOMETER ERA
Ordinary Concrete

(mm)
High Performance Concrete (HPC)

(m)
Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC)

(nm)
1970

1975

1980
years

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

MANUFACTURE
CARBON

NANOTUBES:

Graphene, thinnest material ever invented

Monolayer of carbon atoms

Used in the form of carbon nanotubes (CNTs),carbon nanofibers

(CNF)

100 times stronger than steel of same thickness

Larger surface area per unit volume

TYPES OF CNTs

Single walled Nanotubes: (SWNT)

Diameter: 1 nm, tube length can be many millions of times

longer

Structure: by wrapping a one atom thick layer of graphite

called graphene into a seamless cylinder

Represented by pair of indices (n,m) called chiral vector

where, n,m= number of unit vectors along two directions in

the honeycomb crystal lattice of graphene

If m=0, the nanotubes are zig-zag

If n=m, the nanotubes are called armchair

Otherwise, they are chiral

MULTI-WALLED NANOTUBES: (MWNT)

Consists of multiple
rolled layers (concentric
tubes) of graphene

Two models:
Russian

doll model

Parchment

model

Interlayer distance: 3.4

CARBON NANO FIBER (CNF)

PROPERTY

CNF

Fiber diameter (TEM)

20 80 nm

Fiber length (SEM)

>30 m

Bulk density

>1.97 g/cm

Apparent density
Surface energy

0.060 g/cm
100 mJ/m

Specific surface area

Graphitization degree

150-200 m/g
70%

Resistivity
Resistivity

1X m

Metallic particles content

6%-8%

CARBON FIBER (CF)

PROPERTY

CF3

CF10

Fiber type

PANEX 35

HEXTOW AS4

Diameter

7.2 m

7.1 m

Length
Carbon content
Tensile strength

3.5 mm
95%

10 mm
94%

3800 MPa
242 GPa

4480 MPa
231 GPa

1.52X cm

1.52X cm

1.81 g/cm

1.79 g/cm

Elastic modulus
Resistivity
Resistivity
Density

SELF HEATING CONCRETE

CNF

As heating element in electrical deicing systems

CNF reinforced concrete self heating concrete

Thermally conductive concrete integrated with a resisting

CNF paper

Electrical energy heat

Eliminates the use of heavy machinery and deicing salt for

removal of snow

high electrical conductivity, high heating capacity at

low voltage and resistant to corrosion

APPLICATIONS
CONCRETE:

Improves mechanical behavior of concrete

Micro and nano scale

Improves bulk density, mechanical performance, volume

stability, durability & sustainability

STEEL:

Fatigue cyclic loading ( bridges and towers)

Copper nanoparticles reduces surface unevenness of

steel limits the number of stress risers

WOOD:

Nanofibrils lignocellulose (twice strong as steel)

Water repellent coating silica & alumina nanoparticles

and hydrophobic polymers

GLASS:

Control light and heat control building environment

Ti - used as coat to glazing

Sterilizing and antifouling properties, self cleaning glass

COATINGS:

Paints and insulating properties addition of nanosized

cells, pores and particles

Ti will break down and disintegrate organic dirt powerful

catalytic reaction

FIRE-RESISTANCE:

Mixing carbon nanotubes with cementitious material to

fabricate fiber composites

Polypropylene fibers increasing fire resistance

Cheaper than conventional insulation

CONCLUSION

Replication of natural systems one of the most promising areas

Nanotechnology rapidly expanding area of research utilized for

the benefit of construction infrastructure

Compressive, split tensile, flexural strength with 3% colloidal

nanoparticles shows better mechanical properties than normal
concrete

Nano-cement CNTs effective than CFs thickness reduced to

microns flexible and smart cement composite can be
manufactured

Contaminants like algae and barancles cant cling to CNTcontaining nanopaints, increase time saving in repainting massive
marine structures

THANK YOU