Investigation of the effectiveness of PC@GO on the reinforcement for cement composites

•PC@GO shows a good dispersion property in alkaline cement matrix.•The fluidity, degree of hydration and mechanical performance are significantly improved.•Regulation of hydration crystals and crack refinement are observed in GO-cement samples.

The extraordinary mechanical properties combined with high aspect ratio and active functional groups make GO a promising nano-reinforcer for cement-based materials. The study presented in this paper aims at assessing the reinforcement of GO on the mechanical properties and microstructure of cement composites. GO modified by PC is used to achieve uniform dispersion in alkaline cement matrix. Also the fresh cement mortar exhibits a favorable fluidity for easy compaction with the addition of PC@GO. It is found that introduction small quantities of GO as little as 0.022% can increase compressive strength and flexural strength by as much as ∼27% and ∼26%, respectively. This improvement is attributed to the enhanced degree of cement hydration, tightly packed and uniformly distributed hydration crystals as well as refined cracks. This work opens a new way to further improve the mechanical performance of cement composites.