Effects of single-walled carbon nanotubes and steel fiber on recycled ferrochrome filled electrical conductive mortars

The production of electrically conductive concrete was introduced years ago among construction materials, generally for anti-icing. The present study investigates the electrical, mechani-cal, dynamic, and microstructural properties of recycled ferrochrome filled cementitious mortars containing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and steel fiber. Within the scope of the study, a total of 5 different mixtures were obtained. 7, 14, and 28-day non-destructive and 28-day compressive and bending tests of cementitious conductive mortars obtained from five different mixtures were performed. The two-point uniaxial method was used to determine the electrical conductivity properties of the samples. The damping ratio of the samples was obtained by performing dynamic resonance tests. Ultrasound pulse velocity (UPV) and Leeb hardness tests were performed as other non-destructive testing methods. Microstructure analysis at the interfaces of conductive concrete samples was characterized by scanning elec-tron microscopy (SEM), EDS (Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results showed a logical agreement when comparing their mechanical, physical, and dynamic properties. When SWCNT is used with steel fiber, the conductive mortar samples exhibited good conductivity, while their compressive and bending strengths turned below.