Final Report Summary - ADHCEM (Adhesion as a tool for In-built nanotechnology in Cement-based Materials)
1. FINAL PUBLISHABLE SUMMARY REPORT
The main objective of this project was to develop cement-based materials by exploring their nanotechnology, especially in terms of the confined water associated with the nano-scale structure. This involved several tasks:
(1) Study the adhesive interaction of the nanoparticle cement constituents to evaluate the effect on bending strength;
(2) Focus on the incorporation of adhesive molecules which could affect the confined water
(3) Characterise the adhesion to understand and define the new compositions and processes invented in the project. Scanning probe microscopy (AFM) and computer modeling will be the main methods, together with electron microscopy.
(4) Transfer this new knowledge to Brazil where such applications will be needed to develop the future generations of cementitious materials.
After considering the wide range of possible materials to be studied, magnesium oxide, alumina and silica were selected as suitable model materials in the project.
Theory of the interactions between MgO nanoparticles in water with the addition of small quantities of contaminant molecules was developed with Dr Chin Yong at Daresbury Laboratory and Dr Aman Dhir/Prof Kevin Kendall in Chemical Engineering at the University of Birmingham. The results were published in the paper'Mechanics of adhesion hrough nanolayers of liquid, K Kendall, H. Rossetto, A. Dhir and C. W. Yong, J Adhesion 88 (2012) 108'.
The first calculations showed the effect of inert gas like xenon on the adhesion of a nanoparticle to a surface. The xenon atoms formed layers which had to be squeezed out of the way as the adhesion process occurred.
With water separating the nanoparticle from the surface, the oscillations were pronounced.
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was used to detect these predicted forces but oscillations were not seen, probably because the probe was not sufficiently stiff. But oscillations were detected with larger molecules on the surface. Both gold nanoparticles and polyacrylic acid molecules gave oscillatory force behaviour.
The main objective of this project was to develop cement-based materials by exploring their nanotechnology, especially in terms of the confined water associated with the nano-scale structure. This involved several tasks:
(1) Study the adhesive interaction of the nanoparticle cement constituents to evaluate the effect on bending strength;
(2) Focus on the incorporation of adhesive molecules which could affect the confined water
(3) Characterise the adhesion to understand and define the new compositions and processes invented in the project. Scanning probe microscopy (AFM) and computer modeling will be the main methods, together with electron microscopy.
(4) Transfer this new knowledge to Brazil where such applications will be needed to develop the future generations of cementitious materials.
After considering the wide range of possible materials to be studied, magnesium oxide, alumina and silica were selected as suitable model materials in the project.
Theory of the interactions between MgO nanoparticles in water with the addition of small quantities of contaminant molecules was developed with Dr Chin Yong at Daresbury Laboratory and Dr Aman Dhir/Prof Kevin Kendall in Chemical Engineering at the University of Birmingham. The results were published in the paper'Mechanics of adhesion hrough nanolayers of liquid, K Kendall, H. Rossetto, A. Dhir and C. W. Yong, J Adhesion 88 (2012) 108'.
The first calculations showed the effect of inert gas like xenon on the adhesion of a nanoparticle to a surface. The xenon atoms formed layers which had to be squeezed out of the way as the adhesion process occurred.
With water separating the nanoparticle from the surface, the oscillations were pronounced.
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was used to detect these predicted forces but oscillations were not seen, probably because the probe was not sufficiently stiff. But oscillations were detected with larger molecules on the surface. Both gold nanoparticles and polyacrylic acid molecules gave oscillatory force behaviour.