US Army engineers have made a groundbreaking discovery by incorporating graphene and metallurgical coke into cement, resulting in stronger mortar and reduced CO2 emissions. Graphene, a highly conductive material with exceptional strength, could address issues with low tensile strength and permeability in concrete. After conducting a study to determine the correct dosage and dispersion of graphene, researchers achieved higher compressive strengths in the graphene-cement mixtures. Additionally, experiments with metallurgical coke-derived graphene showed promising results, creating a lighter but equally tough material. This technology has the potential to reduce reliance on natural sand and lower carbon emissions from the concrete industry, offering more sustainable urban development practices.
The US Army is turning to graphene to make our concrete stronger and more environmentally friendly. Graphene is a super cool material made up of a single layer of carbon atoms that are incredibly strong and conductive. By adding graphene to concrete, we can address issues like low tensile strength and permeability.
The US Army Engineer Research and Development Centre conducted a study to figure out the best way to incorporate graphene into concrete. They looked at things like the right amount of graphene, the size of the particles, and how quickly it should be mixed in. They tested both commercial-grade graphene and laboratory-generated graphene in small amounts.
And guess what? They found that the graphene-cement mixtures had higher compressive strengths than regular cement. This means that the concrete made with graphene was stronger. But it’s important to get the dosage and dispersion right. Too much graphene and the layers could clump together, reducing the strength of the concrete.
According to the study, a dosage of 0.3% of commercial-grade graphene showed the best results, with a consistent increase in compressive strength over time. This means that the concrete just keeps getting stronger as it ages. Pretty cool, right?
But the benefits don’t stop there. Graphene-enhanced concrete could be used in applications where tensile strength and flexural properties are important. Think bridges, buildings, and other structures that need to withstand a lot of force.
The US Army engineers are also looking into how different aggregates affect the behavior of graphene-concrete materials. Aggregates are the materials that make up the bulk of the concrete, like sand and gravel. They want to make sure that the graphene-concrete combo works well with different types of aggregates.
And get this – the researchers have even found a way to make graphene from metallurgical coke, which is a byproduct of the steel-making process. They converted the coke into graphene, which is about the same size as sand. And when they used this graphene in concrete instead of sand, they found that the resulting material was lighter but just as tough as regular concrete. It also had a higher strength-to-weight ratio, which is pretty impressive.
The process they used to make graphene, called “flash Joule heating,” is also faster and more scalable than previous methods. This means we could potentially produce a lot of graphene without relying on natural sand and contribute to lower carbon emissions from the concrete industry.
Now, I know what you might be thinking – graphene is probably expensive, right? Well, for now, it might be a bit pricey. But the researchers believe that as more alternative materials are explored, the price of graphene will come down. And considering the growing demand for concrete and sand mining, we need to find more sustainable options.
You see, sand mining is causing some serious environmental damage, and cement production is a major contributor to CO2 emissions. With the global population expected to keep growing and more people living in urban areas, the demand for concrete and sand is only going to increase. This could potentially lead to a future “sand crisis.” So finding alternative materials like graphene could be a game-changer.
Not only does using metallurgical coke-derived graphene provide better-quality concrete, but it also saves money compared to using sand. So it’s a win-win situation.
The hope is that this technology will lead to more sustainable practices in urban development. We can make our concrete stronger, reduce our reliance on sand, and lower carbon emissions. It’s an exciting step forward, and I can’t wait to see how it develops.