Vegetables could be the key to stronger and greener concrete
It is well known by all that vegetables are good for people, but new research from Lancaster University also confirms that they could be the key to making stronger and greener buildings. And yes … this is not a joke!
Lancaster University engineers are working with the concrete industry to investigate how concrete mixes can be strengthened and made more environmentally friendly by adding 'nano platelets' extracted from the fibers of root vegetables.
The work, which is supported by funding from the European Union within the European Union's Horizon 2022 project, is based on the results of the first tests that have shown that concrete mixtures, including the «nano-platelets» of sugar beet or carrot, significantly improve the mechanical properties of concrete.
Remember our article on biological houses, those that are built with components of remains of agricultural products such as straw, plant stems or grass such as lawns.
These plant-based concretes were also found to outperform all commercially available cement additives, such as graphene (See architecture with graphene) or carbon nanotubes, and at a much lower cost when using waste from the food industry.
The «nano platelets» extracted from root vegetables work both to increase the amount of hydrated calcium silicate (It is one of the main hydrated compounds of Portland cement, responsible for the resistant properties of cement), the main substance that controls the performance of the cement. concrete, as to stop any cracks that appear in it.
Root vegetables 'nano platelets' increase cement strength
The composites are not only superior to current cement products in terms of mechanical properties and microstructure, but they also use smaller amounts of cement. This significantly reduces both energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with cement manufacturing.
Two articles of interest to see:
- Examples of concrete houses
- Precast elements with concrete
- Molds for stamped concrete
The construction industry is urgently looking for ways to reduce its carbon emissions. This is because carbon dioxide is a by-product of the chemical conversion that takes place during cement production. The process also requires the cement to be heated to very high temperatures, often through the burning of fossil fuels.
The production of ordinary Portland cement, one of the main ingredients in concrete, is highly carbon intensive, its production accounting for eight percent of total global CO2 emissions. This figure is expected to double in the next 30 years due to increased demand. (See reference report HERE)
Engineers were able to use 40 kilograms less Portland cement per cubic meter of concrete, saving 40 kg of CO2 for the same volume. Although it seems little, if we replicate it to the consumption of a country, we are talking about very large numbers.
Plant-based cementitious compounds were also found to have a denser microstructure., which is important to prevent corrosion and increase the useful life of materials.
Professor Mohamed Saafi, from the Department of Engineering at Lancaster University and principal investigator, believes that this research could go a long way towards reducing carbon emissions in construction.
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