On March 6, 2025, Professor Fang Guohao published a research paper titled "Influence of Nano-ZnO on Pore and Crack Distribution in Geopolymer Composites" in“Composite Structures”(a top journal in the field, classified as Q1 by the Chinese Academy of Sciences). The paper delves into the effects of nano-ZnO and varying loading conditions on the mechanical properties, pore size, and pore distribution of engineered geopolymer composites (EGC). Dr. Eskinder Desta Shumuye, Associate Researcher at the Institute for Advanced Study of Shenzhen University, served as the first author, with Professor Fang Guohao as the corresponding author. Shenzhen University is listed as the primary affiliation.

In recent years, significant progress has been made in the study of engineered geopolymer composites for cement-free material preparation. Additionally, the application of nanoparticles in composites has garnered widespread attention in the construction materials industry. Nano-ZnO, in particular, has become a focal research direction for the team. This study employed X-ray computed tomography (XCT) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) to evaluate the porosity of both reference and nano-doped EGCs. Digital volume correlation (DVC) technology was further utilized to analyze the stress distribution within loaded composite samples. The paper demonstrates how varying nano-ZnO doping levels and loading conditions influence pore size and distribution in EGC. Key findings reveal that XCT is highly effective in analyzing larger pores (>0.01 mm), while MIP is better suited for assessing smaller pore distributions. Owing to the pore-filling effect of nano-doping, the material exhibited significantly enhanced mechanical properties after a 28-day curing period, achieving a compressive strength of 103 MPa.

This research was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission.

The original article can be found at：https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0263822325002168?dgcid=author