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Building a new future with graphene-strengthened concrete Posted By SciTech Research, 5 hours ago Lower CO2 emissions, enhanced performance and improved longevity are all on the horizonThe environmental impact of one of the world’s most harmful materials could soon be dramatically improved with the simple addition of graphene manufactured by Nanotech Energy.With just a few years, graphene-strengthened concrete could be widely used on construction sites around the world – potentially offering enormous benefits at stroke.Dr. Maher El-Kady, Nanotech Energy’s chief technology officer, said: “First, it (graphene) makes the concrete stronger. But there’s more to it than muscle. When we add graphene or graphene oxide, it works like a super-fine sieve within the concrete, making the tiny spaces inside the cement even tinier. That’s good news because it means water can’t sneak in as easily, and less water means less chance of corrosion.”After water, concrete is the most used material in the world. Each year, more concrete is used than all steel, wood, plastics, and aluminum added together. But this comes at a cost. For every pound of cement manufactured, 0.9 pounds of CO2 is released into the atmosphere.The burden is so high that the International Energy Agency calculates that concrete accounts for 8% of all global CO2 emissions.Dr. El-Kady said: “Less cement equals less CO2. And because this super-charged concrete is stronger, we might not need to use as much steel to reinforce buildings and structures, which can also help reduce CO2 emissions.“Adding a tiny amount of graphene to concrete – less than 0.1% of the whole mix – could cut its carbon footprint by 25-33%. That might not sound like a lot, but it could reduce the world’s carbon emissions by 2%. That’s a big deal for fighting climate change.”While adding graphene to traditional concrete mixes will incur a small increase in costs, Dr. El-Kady insists the difference will be marginal. “It won’t break the bank,” he said. “Furthermore, at Nanotech Energy we’re actively making strides in reducing the costs associated with graphene manufacturing.”Adding graphene to concrete is also unlikely to add any noticeable delays in production times, leaving the entire construction industry standing on the cusp of generational change. “If things keep moving positively, we might start seeing graphene products being used more widely in the next 5-10 years as it becomes cheaper and gets the regulatory nod.”