Arif Syed

Graduation Semester and Year

2023

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering

Department

Materials Science and Engineering

First Advisor

Efstathios Meletis

Second Advisor

Erika La Plante

Abstract

Magnesium-based cements such as magnesium silicate hydrate (MSH) have drawn interest as an environmentally friendly substitute for ordinary Portland cement because of their potential for reduced carbon footprint. The precise determination of these materials' elastic moduli is important to better assess their mechanical performance. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is an effective tool for precise and spatially resolved quantification of nanomechanical characteristics of materials, including thin films. In this study, elastic modulus maps of MSH grown on single crystal mica surfaces were obtained using amplitude modulation-frequency modulation AFM. The effects of the Mg:Si ratio and morphology on the elastic modulus of MSH overgrowths were investigated. Using mica as a reference material, the results reveal elastic moduli ranging from 5 to 15 GPa and 40 to 64 GPa, depending on the growth reaction time and overgrowth morphology. The findings of this study demonstrate the effectiveness of AFM in describing the mechanical characteristics of cementitious phases and suggest that MSH-based materials have a significant potential for use in a variety of construction and building applications.

Keywords

Mechanical properties, Atomic force microscopy, Amplitude modulation-frequency modulation, Cement

Disciplines

Engineering | Materials Science and Engineering

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

Download

Share

COinS