Nano Wonders in Concrete Technology: Mini Review

Abstract

Concrete is one of the most significant materials, man has produced. Conventionally, it is a mixture of cement, sand, coarse aggregates and water. It is versatile, and gains strength in a few weeks after its casting. It can withstand extreme weather conditions. However, traditional concrete also has some drawbacks. It has low tensile strength and develops cracks, which limit its usefulness. The performance of concrete can be enhanced by carefully selecting its ingredients and employing appropriate modern techniques. One such technique is the use of nano particles. Nano particles, due to their small size, possess very high surface area to volume ratio. They can be used as inert filler as well as chemically active ingredients in cementitious composites. Being filler, they can fill up very small voids in the matrix. As active ingredients, they can result in higher chemical reactivity. This work focuses on the wonders, nano particles have brought in concrete technology. The topics include self-healing, de-pollutant, de-icing and energy-saving concrete materials.