A review of dispersion of nanoparticles in cementitious matrices: Nanoparticle geometry perspective

In recent decades the dispersion of nanoparticles has been extensively investigated for the fabrication of cementitious nanocomposites, owing to their superior performance. In this review, studies related to dispersion of nanoparticles in cementitious matrices are reviewed in the context of the nanoparticle geometry, i.e. zero-, one-, and two-dimensional nanoparticles, leading to better understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of different methods to produce cementitious nanocomposites. The topics covered include different methods and mechanisms of nanoparticle dispersion in cementitious matrices and comparison of their effectiveness in the dispersion of nanoparticles with different geometrical configurations. It can be interpreted from our findings that a combination of methods to disperse and then stabilize would provide a desired state of dispersion. The technique used for each type vary from one nanoparticle to another. This paper provides insight into the application of nanoparticles in cementitious matrices and the efficient procedures for their dispersion.