Green and efficient production of functionalized graphite reinforced magnesium oxychloride cement-based materials

Magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) shows promise as a greener alternative to traditional Portland cement due to its low energy consumption and rapid strength and fast curing. However, its strength and water resistance are affected by internal defects and crystal structure issues. In this work, interfacial functionalized graphite (BMGraphite) was conveniently prepared by milling graphite flakes with tartaric acid and used to enhance MOC properties. The addition of BM-Graphite influenced the hydration crystal content and internal microstructure of cement due to the particle size and active groups of the graphite, as well as the graphene produced during the ball milling process. The MOC with 1.5% BM-Graphite exhibited significantly improved 28-day compressive strength (77.87 MPa vs. 67.60 MPa), softening coefficient (0.75 vs. 0.05), and flexural strength (19.4 MPa vs. 14.3 MPa) compared to pure MOC. This study provides a straightforward and eco-friendly strategy for producing high-performance and low-carbon MOC composite materials.