Influence of graphene on calcium leaching in fibre reinforced cementitious mixes under impressed current cathodic protection

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Anode acidification at the fibre/mortar interface challenges the durability of Fibre-Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM) composites in Impressed Current Cathodic Protection (ICCP) systems. This study examined the addition of 0.035–0.07 % graphene to FRCM composites, focusing on its role in phase formation, calcium leaching mitigation, and structural performance under electrochemical conditions. Graphene enhanced the formation of portlandite and C-S-H, densified the microstructure, and improved electrical conductivity, leading to reduced degradation and more uniform ion redistribution. Under current densities of 0.05–0.5 A/m 2 , graphene promoted the dissolution of unhydrated cement, rather than hydrated cement products, facilitating a continuous flow of cations and electrons. Thus, graphene-incorporated specimens exhibited delayed failure points and doubled the service life compared to controls. These findings demonstrated graphene's potential to reduce maintenance needs and material usage by up to 50 %, offering significant economic savings and sustainability benefits for ICCP systems.