Optimisation of critical parameters for sustainable production of graphene-enhanced cement

Research strongly indicates that adding small quantities of graphene to cement-based materials can significantly enhance performance while reducing the carbon footprint. However, existing studies have limitations, such as focusing only on graphene dosage rates and compressive strengths of the resulting products, while neglecting the energy consumption of the graphene-cement mixing process. This study aims to address these limitations by initially conducting a comprehensive systematic review of graphene dispersion in cement and its homogenisation methods to create a holistic picture of knowledge trends and research gaps. The experimental phase of this study measured critical operational parameters (including voltage, current, temperature, relative humidity, uniformity indices, etc.) from 14 distinct scenarios involving various cement types, graphene dosage rates, grinding media loadings, mixing speeds, and residence times. Notably, scenarios with lower speeds and shorter residence times represented low-energy clusters while maintaining excellent homogenisation indices and compressive strengths at both 7-days and 28-days. The study also employed pattern characterisation and an integrated decision matrix to streamline the data complexity and allow for better understanding and quantification of the interrelationships between impactful variables.