Graphene nanofibers: A modern approach towards tailored gypsum composites

Abstract Energy poverty is a global challenge that demands sustainable and affordable solutions. This study investigates the use of commercial graphene nanofibers (GNFs) as a reinforcing agent in gypsum composites for energy-efficient building retrofitting. The GNFs were manually dispersed in the gypsum matrix, and the composites were fabricated by casting and curing. The thermomechanical properties were systematically studied using various characterization techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermal analysis. The results show that the addition of 1% GNFs reduces the thermal conductivity of the composites by more than 40% and improves their flexural and compressive strength by up to 23 and 42%, respectively, compared to neat gypsum. The enhancements are attributed to the effective phonon scattering of the GNFs and their ability to act as crystal seeding sites, resulting in a denser and more homogeneous structure. The dynamic thermal analysis further demonstrates that the GNF-reinforced composites could reduce heating and cooling requirements by 14 and 11%, respectively, indicating their potential for energy-efficient building retrofitting. However, the cost effectiveness and safety issues of the GNF-reinforced composites should be carefully considered before their large-scale implementation. Achieving uniform dispersion of nanoparticles in high concentrations is also a significant challenge that will be addressed in future studies.