Graphene Makes Concrete Stronger While Reducing Carbon Emissions

Concrete is one of the most widely used building materials in the world, but it also is responsible for about 5% of all global carbon dioxide emissions according to the Earth Institute at Columbia University.  Those emissions result directly from the conversion of limestone into cement and indirectly by burning fuel to heat the limestone to 1400º C, the temperature required to initiate the conversion process.

“Cement manufacturing is highly energy and emissions intensive because of the extreme heat required to produce it.  Producing a ton of cement requires 4.7 million BTU of energy, equivalent to about 400 pounds of coal, and generates nearly a ton of CO2.  Given its high emissions and critical importance to society, cement is an obvious place to look to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” says the Earth Institute.

Scientists at the University of Exeter have developed a pioneering new technique that uses nano-engineering technology to incorporate graphene into traditional concrete production.  The resulting product is more than twice as strong and four times more water resistant than existing concrete.  The graphene-reinforced concrete also greatly reduces the carbon emissions normally associated with making cement.  The research was published Advanced Functional Materials last week.

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