An Investigation of the Mechanical Properties of Basalt Fibre-Reinforced Graphite Tailings Cement Mortar

Abstract

In order to solve the limitation of graphite tailings in improving the toughness of cement-based materials, this paper aims to study the effect of basalt fibres (BF) on the mechanical properties of graphite tailings cement mortar (GTCM). Basic physical and mechanical tests such as fluidity, water absorption, surface water content, flexural strength, compressive strength and modulus of elasticity were conducted on basalt fibre-reinforced graphite tailings cement mortar (BFR-GTCM), and combined with microscopic tests such as scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) for the enhancement mechanism were deeply analysed. The results show that 0.3% BF and 20% GT are the optimal doping amounts for the mechanical response of BFR-GTCM, which especially significantly improves the flexural and crack resistance. In addition, the synergistic effect of basalt fibres and graphite tailings optimizes the spatial structure and pore distribution of the cement matrix and promoted the hydration of the cementitious material, thus improving the mechanical properties of BFR-GTCM.