Effects of silica aerogel inclusion on the stability of heat generation and heat-dependent electrical characteristics of cementitious composites with CNT

Abstract The present study investigated the effects of silica aerogel inclusion on the stability of heat generation and heat-dependent electrical characteristics of cementitious composites with carbon nanotube (CNT). The heat generation and heat-dependent electrical characteristics of the specimens were explored under the monotonic and cyclic heating conditions and they were discussed in terms of compressive strength and SEM test results. The test results indicated that the addition of the silica aerogel improved the stability of heat generation and changes in the electrical resistivity of up to 63% and 68%, respectively, upon 20 cycles of the heating tests. The enhancement in the electrical properties is attributed to the fact that the incorporated silica aerogel mitigated the re-distribution of CNT particles due to hydration reaction during the heating process, which in turn improved the stability of heat generation and heat-dependent electrical characteristics of the cementitious composites.