Effect of graphene oxide on the rheological properties of cement pastes

•The addition of GO into the cement caused a noticeable reduction in fluidity and increased rheological parameters.•GO encapsulated silica fume (GOSF) was prepared. Compared with SF pastes, GOSF pastes had better rheological properties, indicating the addition of GO improved rheological properties.•A possible mechanism was proposed to explain the different effects of GO on the rheological properties of cement pastes.•The research provides a pathway to utilizing GO in cement based materials. The effects of graphene oxide (GO), silica fume (SF) and graphene oxide encapsulated silica fume (GOSF) on the rheological properties of cement pastes were investigated. It was found that the addition of GO into the cement caused a noticeable reduction in fluidity and increased rheological parameters. However, GOSF pastes had better fluidity and lower rheological parameters at a same dosage of SF, indicating that the addition of GO lowers the rheological parameters. A possible mechanism was proposed to explain the different effects of GO on cement pastes. The research provides a pathway to utilizing GO in cement based materials.