Kirigami structure enhancing the crack-bridging effects of graphene oxide on the calcium silicate hydrate

ZJN Cheng and SJ Lu and WQ Chen and SY Wang and Y Gao, MATERIALS & DESIGN, 256, 114334 (2025).

DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2025.114334

Graphene oxide (GO) can cooperate with the generated calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) to strengthen the cementitious composites. However, due to the several orders of magnitude elastic modulus gap between GO and C-S-H composite, the GO is easily pulled out from the cement matrix, making it hard to play their enhancement role fully. This study used the kirigami structure to modify GO nanosheets and reinforce the pull-out resistance of the nanosheets from the C-S-H composites. The results show that the kirigami structure significantly reduces the elastic modulus of the GO-based nanosheets by 79.6%-89.0%, opening a pathway for the GO- based nanosheet to withstand higher deformation energy and better resistance to pull-out loading. As a result, the friction force and the total pull-out work during the entire pull-out process can be enhanced by about 19.5%-36.8% and 16%-21%, respectively. High porosity, zigzag- direction incisions, and the distribution of the incision at the edge of nanosheets could further enhance the co-deformation ability of GO-based nanosheets with C-S-H. Finally, the GO nanosheet bridge reinforcement theoretical model reveals that the kirigami structure can significantly increase the strain energy density and complete debonding stage- controlled shear stress, strengthening GO-based nanosheets' crack- bridging effects in cementitious composites.

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