U.K. scientists from the University of Exeter have found a way to incorporate wonder material graphene into concrete, making it more than twice as strong and four times more water-resistant than existing concretes.
They used nanoengineering technology to incorporate graphene into traditional concrete production.
The graphene-reinforced concrete is eco-friendly:
Graphene–reinforced concrete reduces the amount of materials required to make concrete by about 50 percent resulting in a significant reduction of 446 kilograms per tonne of the carbon emissions. Moreover, it involves less maintenance, so it allows for construction in areas that are hard to reach.
Monica Craciun from Exeter’s engineering department, said, “This unprecedented range of functionalities and properties uncovered are an important step in encouraging a more sustainable, environmentally-friendly construction industry worldwide.”
This new material is going to be an absolute game changer
In preliminary tests, the concrete samples were in accordance with British and European standards for construction.
“Finding greener ways to build is a crucial step forward in reducing carbon emissions around the world,” said lead author on the study Dimitar Dimov. “This is a crucial step in the right direction to make a more sustainable construction industry.”
