Rice University scientists have developed micron-sized calcium silicate spheres that could lead to stronger and greener concrete, the world's most-used synthetic material.
To Rice materials scientist Rouzbeh Shahsavari and graduate student Sung Hoon Hwang, the spheres represent building blocks that can be made at low cost and promise to mitigate the energy-intensive techniques now used to make cement, the most common binder in concrete.
The researchers formed the spheres in a solution around nanoscale seeds of a common detergent-like surfactant. The spheres can be prompted to self-assemble into solids that are stronger, harder, more elastic and more durable than ubiquitous Portland cement.
[...] The work builds on a 2017 project [DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b12532] [DX] by Shahsavari and Hwang to develop self-healing materials with porous, microscopic calcium silicate spheres. The new material is not porous, as a solid calcium silicate shell surrounds the surfactant seed.
Size- and Shape-Controlled Synthesis of Calcium Silicate Particles Enables Self-Assembly and Enhanced Mechanical and Durability Properties (DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b00917) (DX)
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(Score: 4, Interesting) by RandomFactor on Thursday September 27 2018, @04:29AM (2 children)
There are those who might argue Congress is a prefered binding agent for Concrete
В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 27 2018, @04:40AM (1 child)
And far greener.
(Score: 5, Funny) by c0lo on Thursday September 27 2018, @12:42PM
I have this hunch some politicians will feel offended in being called Green after being Reps/Dems all their life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford