The limitations of conventional cement mortar as a widely used construction material include low tensile capacity, high permeability, and susceptibility to chemical degradation. The increasing demand for durable and sustainable construction materials has led to increased attention in modifying cementitious materials through nanotechnology. This study investigates the influence of nano-silica (NS) and nano-alumina (NA) on the physical, strength-related, and durability characteristics of cement mortar to determine the optimum nanomaterial type and dosage for performance enhancement. Six mortar mixes, in addition to a reference mix, were designed and prepared by adding 1%, 1.5%, and 2% of the cement weight with NS and NA separately, and were evaluated for flowability, setting time, density, porosity, sorptivity, compressive and flexural strength, rapid chloride penetration, acid resistance, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis. Both NS and NA slightly reduced flowability but enhanced strength and durability. Incorporation of 1.5% NS yielded the highest 28-day compressive strength (95 MPa), around 12% higher than the control mix, whereas 1% NA resulted in the greatest early-age strength gain. Both nanomaterials enhanced matrix densification, leading to reductions in porosity (up to 22%) and chloride permeability (up to 44%) for NS. In summary, these findings demonstrate that NS outperforms NA in terms of reactivity and durability. Optimal dosages were identified as 1.5% for NS and 1% for NA, providing the best balance of workability, mechanical enhancement, and durability improvements. These results highlight the effectiveness of nanomaterial incorporation as a promising approach to developing high-performance, durable cement mortars suitable for advanced infrastructure applications.
