Effect of cellulose nanofibrils and nanocrystals on physical properties of concrete

The study on the physical properties and durability of concrete with admixture cellulose nanofibrils (ACNF) and cellulose nanocrystals (CCNC) was presented in the paper. The following characteristics of the concrete were defined: absorptivity, density, apparent density, open porosity, contact angle (CA), surface free energy (SFE), compressive strength, flexural tensile strength, freezing-thawing resistance. The use of ACNF and CCNC results in different wetting and adhesion properties of concrete. The highest CCNC addition yielded a concrete with the lowest CA with water and the highest SFE values that evidenced the increased adhesion properties and wettability. The microstructure of concrete with ACNF and CCNC and distribution of cracks and pores within them were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). CCNC improves the freezing-thawing resistance. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.