Scientists have successfully incorporated graphene into traditional concrete production—creating a material that is more than twice as strong and four times more water resistant than existing concrete. It is also more resistant to heat and electricity.
The new material was made using nanoengineering technology. A research team from the University of Exeter created a new nanoengineering technique that suspends atomically thin graphene in the water used to create a concrete mixture, producing a high yield of concrete without defects.
Previous work with nanotechnology has focused on modifying existing components of cement—the main binding element in the composition of concrete—with nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes and graphene oxide. However, these modifications were not applied directly to concrete itself, as the addition of sand and aggregate changes the physical and mechanical behavior of the material.
The researchers believe the new method could be used in conjunction with modern manufacturing techniques and be scaled up at a relatively low cost. That could also make it possible for other nanomaterials to be incorporated into concrete, increasing the construction material’s versatility and modernizing its production.
The researchers also found that the carbon footprint of conventional concrete production methods was dramatically reduced in making the graphene-reinforced material. “By including graphene, we can reduce the amount of materials required to make concrete by around 50 percent—leading to a significant reduction of 446kg/ton of the carbon emissions,” said Monica Craciun, professor of nanoscience and nanotechnology in the Engineering Department at the University of Exeter.
The composite could be used directly on building sites, enabling the construction of strong and durable buildings using less concrete and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The material’s water resistance makes it more resistant to environmental damage such as flooding, reducing the need for maintenance, while the strength of the composite will make buildings more resilient to shocks and strains.
The samples of the composite tested so far all meet British and European standards, which should make it possible to get the material into use.
“Finding greener ways to build is a crucial step forward in reducing carbon emissions around the world,” said Dimitar Dimov, lead author of the study. “This is a crucial step in the right direction to make a more sustainable construction industry for the future.”
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