Mechanical Properties and Photocatalytic Reactions of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles in the Cement Environment

In order to evaluate the performance of zinc oxide nanoparticles on the microstructure and mechanical properties of cement-based materials, compressive strength test, reaction with calcium hydroxide, shrinkage test, x-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy analyses were carried out. The results indicated that zinc oxide nanoparticles have signifcant influences on the mechanical properties of cement based surfaces. It has also been shown that a good reaction with calcium hydroxide occurs and signifcant reduction in shrinkage of cement mortars was observed. Moreover, the nano zinc oxide incorporated surfaces had high capability in removing the contaminants and provide photocatalytic characteristics for the surfaces.