Granted Patent
B2
US 12,473,232 · App. 17/792,502 · Granted Nov 18, 2025
Carbon fiber-reinforced metakaolin-based geopolymer composites
Assignee:
Northwestern University
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Abstract
Methods for making carbon-fiber reinforced geopolymer composites are provided. The methods produce metakaolin-based geopolymer composites in which multiwalled carbon nanotubes and/or carbon nanofibers are well dispersed in an metakaolin-based geopolymer matrix. The mixing protocols of the methods used to produce carbon-fiber reinforced geopolymer composites produce composites with reduced porosity, high elastic moduli, high strength, and/or high fracture toughness.
Claims (17)
1 . A carbon nanotube-reinforced geopolymer composite comprising:
a potassium metakaolin-based geopolymer matrix; and
multiwalled carbon nanotubes dispersed in the potassium metakaolin-based geopolymer matrix, wherein the concentration of the multiwalled carbon nanotubes is in the range from 0.55 to 1.5 weight percent, per weight of potassium metakaolin in the potassium metakaolin-based geopolymer matrix;
the carbon nanotube-reinforced geopolymer composite having a porosity in the range from 5.5% to 7.5%, an indentation modulus in the range from 7.5 to 8.5 GPa, and a fracture toughness in the range from 0.58 Mpa·sqrt(m) to 0.65 MPa·sqrt(m),
wherein the carbon nanotube-reinforced geopolymer composite is free of organic surfactants and organic dispersing agents and the multiwalled carbon nanotubes are not functionalized with surface carboxy groups.
2 . The composite of claim 1 having a plastic viscosity of at least 10 Pa·s.
3 . The composite of claim 1 having a yield shear stress of at least 50 Pa.
4 . A method of making a carbon nanotube reinforced geopolymer composite, the method comprising:
forming an aqueous dispersion of multiwalled carbon nanotubes;
ultrasonicating the aqueous dispersion;
subsequently dissolving potassium hydroxide and silica in the aqueous dispersion to form a waterglass solution;
adding potassium metakaolin to the waterglass solution to form a geopolymer solution;
mixing and degassing the geopolymer solution in a centrifugal mixer; and
curing the geopolymer solution with continuous mixing to form the carbon nanotube reinforced geopolymer composite,
wherein the concentration of the multiwalled carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotube-reinforced geopolymer composite is in the range from 0.55 to 1.5 weight percent, per weight of potassium metakaolin;
the carbon nanotube-reinforced geopolymer composite having a porosity in the range from 5.5% to 7.5%, an indentation modulus in the range from 7.5 to 8.5 GPa, and a fracture toughness in the range from 0.58 MPa·sqrt(m) to 0.65 MPa·sqrt(m),
wherein the carbon nanotube-reinforced geopolymer composite is free of organic surfactants and organic dispersing agents and the multiwalled carbon nanotubes are not functionalized with surface carboxy groups.
Assignments (2)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE
Recorded Feb 13, 2025
From: NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
To: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Reel/Frame 070226/0437 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST
Recorded Jul 13, 2022
From: AKONO, ANGE-THERESE; CHEN, JIAXIN
To: NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Reel/Frame 060495/0706 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application
62967142
· Jan 29, 2020
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