Electrochemical Impedance as an Assessment Tool for the Investigation of the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Graphene-Based Cementitious Nanocomposites

Eirini Tziviloglou; Zoi S Metaxa; George Maistros; Stavros K Kourkoulis; Dionysios S Karousos; Evangelos P Favvas; Nikolaos D Alexopoulos

doi:10.3390/nano13192652

Electrochemical Impedance as an Assessment Tool for the Investigation of the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Graphene-Based Cementitious Nanocomposites

Nanomaterials (Basel). 2023 Sep 27;13(19):2652. doi: 10.3390/nano13192652.

Authors

Eirini Tziviloglou¹, Zoi S Metaxa², George Maistros³, Stavros K Kourkoulis⁴, Dionysios S Karousos^{1

5}, Evangelos P Favvas⁵, Nikolaos D Alexopoulos¹

Affiliations

¹ Research Unit of Advanced Materials, Department of Financial and Management Engineering, University of the Aegean, 82132 Chios, Greece.
² Department of Chemistry, International Hellenic University, 65404 Kavala, Greece.
³ ADVISE, 17 Gymnasiarchou Madia Str., 82132 Chios, Greece.
⁴ Department of Mechanics, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Athens, Greece.
⁵ Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, N.C.S.R. "Demokritos", Patr. Gregoriou E & 27 Neapoleos Str., 15341 Agia Paraskevi, Greece.

Abstract

This investigation explores the potential of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in evaluating graphene-based cementitious nanocomposites, focusing on their physical and structural properties, i.e., electrical resistivity, porosity, and fracture toughness. EIS was employed to study cement mixtures with varying graphene nanoplatelet (xGnP) concentrations (0.05-0.40% per dry cement weight), whereas flexural tests assessed fracture toughness and porosimetry analyses investigated the structural characteristics. The research demonstrated that the electrical resistivity initially decreased with increasing xGnP content, leveling off at higher concentrations. The inclusion of xGnPs correlated with an increase in the total porosity of the cement mixtures, which was indicated by both EIS and porosimetry measurements. Finally, a linear correlation emerged between fracture toughness and electrical resistivity, contributing also to underscore the use of EIS as a potent non-destructive tool for evaluating the physical and mechanical properties of conductive nano-reinforced cementitious nanocomposites.

Keywords: electrical resistivity; electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; fracture toughness; graphene nanoplatelets; graphene-based cementitious composites; non-destructive evaluation; porosity.

Grants and funding

MIS 5047046/European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Greek State [Partnership Agreement 2014- 2020] - Research e- Infrastructure "Interregional Digital Transformation for Culture and Tourism in Aegean Archipelagos"