PSI - Issue 70

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ScienceDirect

Procedia Structural Integrity 70 (2025) 358–364

Keywords: Nano- TiO₂; Compressive strength; FTIR spectroscopy; Mechanical properties; Nanomaterials in construction; Sustainable Construction; environmentally friendly building applications. © 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under the responsibility of International Conference on Structural Integrity Organizers 1. Introduction Although cement mortar is an essential component of building, the process of making it greatly pollutes the environment (Zhong et al., 2022). Flash and other supplemental cementitious materials (SCMs) can increase strength Structural Integrity and Interactions of Materials in Civil Engineering Structures (SIIMCES-2025) Characterization of Concrete with Nano-TiO ₂ Particles using Compression and FTIR Methods R. Mohanraj a, *, Nitin Sharma a a Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, SRM University, Delhi-NCR, Sonipat 131029, Haryana, India. Abstract This study investigates the effects of adding nano- TiO₂ (1 – 5%) to flash-based cement mortar on structural performance, chemical composition, and mechanical strength. Nano- TiO₂ (nano -titanium dioxide) is added in different amounts of 1% to 5% by weight of cement, while flash, a refined form of fly ash, is utilized as a 20% substitute for cement. Compressive strength tests, FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) spectroscopy, flexural strength tests, compression testing machine analysis, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis are used in the study to assess the material's compressive strength, flexural strength, and structural composition. The findings show that while larger dosages cause particle agglomeration, which lowers efficiency, nano- TiO₂ at 2% dosage offers the greatest strength enhancement. The influence of nano- TiO₂ on the structure of cement mortar is validated by FTIR and XRD investigations, which confirm the changes in material composition. According to the study's findings, adding nano- TiO₂ to flash-based cement mortar greatly increases its strength and durability, making it a good choice for high-performance and

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +91-7358135699. E-mail address: rsrirammohan@srmuniversity.ac.in; rsrirammohan@gmail.com

2452-3216 © 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under the responsibility of International Conference on Structural Integrity Organizers 10.1016/j.prostr.2025.07.064