A nano substitute for sand in concrete was found
According to the Anna Science and Technology News Agency, James Tour, one of the researchers of the nano application research project in the construction and cement industry, explained: These results can have a major impact on one of the largest industries in the world. We compared concrete made with graphene admixture to concrete made using sand aggregates and found that our concrete was 25% lighter while being just as hard.
Cement production, to prepare concrete, accounts for 8% of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide. In addition, sand mining poses threats to riverine and coastal ecosystems.
Using Joule's heat method, Tour Lab has converted metallurgical coke into a type of graphene that can be used as a substitute for sand in concrete.
Paul Adwinkola, one of the researchers of this project, says: Initial experiments showed that the metallurgical coke has been converted into graphene, the resulting structures are similar in size to sand. We decided to use graphene derived from metallurgical coke as a complete replacement for sand in concrete, and our findings show that it leads to good results.
Experiments comparing normal concrete with concrete made of graphene materials yielded promising results. Graphene-based concrete not only matches the mechanical properties of standard concrete, but also offers a higher strength-to-weight ratio.
Thor's lab has used flash Joule heating for a variety of applications, including synthesizing composite carbon nanomaterials, recycling battery parts, and removing heavy metals from coal ash. This method produces graphene faster and on a larger scale than previous methods, says Paul Adwinkola.
This new technology reduces the reliance on natural sand and reduces carbon emissions in the concrete industry and can lead urban development to more sustainable practices.
It will take some time for the price of graphene to drop enough to make this method sustainable, Tor said. For now, these results suggest that there are other options that we can pursue.
Nagarajaya, one of the researchers of this project, said: “The fact that we are on the verge of a crisis in the sand sector motivates us to look for other options, and metallurgical coke is a suitable option because it does almost the same work as sand.”
