Nanotechnology

Up to now, over the years studies have been largely aimed at achieving high mechanical performance with micro-sized cement replacement materials [1, 2]. In recent years, nano-technology has attracted considerable scientific interest due to the new potential uses of particles in nanometer scale. A nanometer (nm) is one billionth of a meter. The devices and materials dealt with in nano-technology are typically in a size range of 0.1 nm to 100 nm. Nanotechnology is defined as the science and technology of developing materials at the atomic and molecular level and generating techniques in order to measure and utilize their unique and special mechanical and chemical features. [3-6]

Due to the high specific surface area, nanoparticles constitute a very reactive material. [7, 8] Therefore, when nanoparticles are incorporated into cementitious materials, depending on the size of solid particles, new materials were obtained with different characteristics from conventional materials. For instance, Titania nanoparticles lead to self-cleaning properties in the concrete [9-12], while carbon nano...