Flash Graphene-Modified Portland Cement Paste with Both High Electromagnetic and Mechanical Performances at a Low Percolation Threshold

The contradiction between the threshold values of carbon nanomaterials in cement-based materials for enhancing electrical, magnetic, and mechanical properties appears irreconcilable in previous studies. Reducing the numerical differences of these thresholds of carbon nanomaterials in cement-based materials is a straightforward approach to resolving the predicament. Flash graphene powder (FGP) with varying dosages is used to prepare the modified Portland cement paste in this work. Hydration heat release behaviours and the morphologies of hydrates are significantly impacted due to the unique turbostratic graphene layers. The percolation threshold of FGP in paste approximates its thresholds for enhancing the strength and absorption of electromagnetic waves (EMWs), which is 0.50 wt.% of cement. The compressive and flexural strength values of samples with 0.50 wt.% FGP increased by 59.5% and 22.4%, respectively, compared with the blank sample. The minimum EMWs loss value of the sample with 0.50 wt.% FGP is -12.2 dB with an effective absorption bandwidth value of 7.76 GHz in the EMWs frequency between 2 and 18 GHz. The smaller Portlandite crystals are associated with better conductive and impedance-matching properties, resulting in significantly improved EMWs absorption in the Ku band. This work proposes a possible solution that involves using FGP to replace normal graphene, thereby alleviating the contradiction and reducing the gaps in the graphene thresholds in cement paste and enhancing mechanical and electrical conductivity and EMWs absorption properties.