Self-Healing Nano-Concrete for Futuristic Infrastructures: A Review

• Main Authors: Shaheen, N., Khushnood, R.A., Musarat, M.A., Alaloul, W.S.
• Format: Article
• Published: Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH 2022
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85123914779&doi=10.1007%2fs13369-022-06562-6&partnerID=40&md5=b9bbbea0f3a38ede0ff93eda675b1786; http://eprints.utp.edu.my/28982/

Spontaneous self-healing is an imperative requisite for sustaining the structural life of cementitious composites substituting the fissures and pores by restricting the ingress of hazardous chemicals. The intrinsic self-healing ability of cementitious composites is inadequate that enforcing the submissions of extrinsic self-healing for imparting resilience, durability and survivability. Profoundly, robust extrinsic self-healing action can be accomplished by arresting the cracks at the nano-level via inhibiting their progression at micro- and macro-levels. The exceptional chemical and physical configuration of nanomaterials facilitates their potential application as self-healing agent for inducing inherent self-healing characteristics inside the cementitious composites at nano-level. These self-healing nano-modificient includes expansive agents, nano-polymers, secondary raw materials, nano-metallic and nano-chemical insertions. However, the applications of these nano-modificent agents are explored in the refining of structural, mechanical and electromechanical properties of concrete, extensively. Owing to development of biological self-healing concrete, a scientific shift has been observed in attaining self-healing at nano-level. In this review, the existing application of nano-modificent agents for imparting self-healing characteristics inside the cementitious systems is discussed in addition to future challenges and prospects. © 2022, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals.