A nanomaterial-engineered penetrating sealer developed by Washington State College researchers is poised to protect concrete from higher levels of moisture and salt – two of the most damaging elements in the body. dilapidated concrete infrastructure in the northern states.
The new welder has confirmed 75% fascination in repelling water and 44% fascination in reducing salt damage in laboratory studies compared with industrial welder. The work could offer an additional strategy to tackle the growing problem of old sidewalks and bridges in the United States.
“We focused on one of the many fundamental culprits that affect the integrity and durability of concrete, which is moisture,” said Xianming Shi, a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, who is responsible for the study. the beginning of the mentioned work. “If you can keep the concrete dry, most durability problems go away.”
Shi and graduate scholar Zhipeng Li recently revealed their work in the Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering and was used for an interim patent.
Much of the nation’s essential infrastructure, such as the highway system of the United States, was built between the Fifteens and the Seventies and is now reaching the top of the lifecycle for which it was designed. next. Every four years, for the reason that it was in the late 90s, the American Society of Civil Engineers released a report on how America’s infrastructure had consistently poor or failed scores. About 8% of the approximately 600,000 bridges in the United States are considered structurally poor, and one in every 5 kilometers of freeway pavement is in poor condition. The problem is exacerbated in cold climates by several cycles of freezing and defrosting as well as the current use of many deicer salts over many years, which can degrade the concrete.
“Concrete, no matter how stable it looks like rock, is basically a sponge whenever you look at it under a microscope,” Shi mentioned. “It’s an extremely porous, heterogeneous composite material.”
Spot adhesives have emerged as a tool to protect concrete, and many state transportation departments use them to protect special bridge decks that appear to be experiencing the worst. due to salt trauma. Sealants currently on the market have a certain level of safety, but moisture can often penetrate the concrete, Shi said.
During their test, the researchers added two nanomaterials, graphene oxide and montmorillonite nanoclay, into silicate-based industrial sealants. Nanomaterials thicken the microstructure of concrete, making it harder for liquid water to penetrate. In addition, they create a barrier to the penetration of water vapor and other gases that tend to make their way into the concrete. Nanomaterials also protect concrete from physical and chemical attack of corrosive salts. Penetration sealant is designed to be multifunctional, as it can add a curing aid function to contemporary concrete.
WSU sealant is water-based as an alternative to using any natural solvents, which makes it extremely environmentally friendly and safer for employees, adds Shi. .
“Historically, any time you switch from natural solvents to water, you sacrifice the effectiveness of the sealant,” he mentions. “We’ve demonstrated that the use of nanomaterials effectively reduces that price reduction.”
Researchers have performed a preliminary market assessment with business stakeholders and are finding methods to optimize sealer replenishment. They are investigating how nanomaterials-based sealants can assist in protecting concrete from injury or abrasion caused by microbial, everyday wear and tear, and fabric damage in high traffic areas. high traffic volume. They plan to conduct pilot-scale demonstrations over the next two years, piloting specific infrastructure on the WSU campus or in the Pullman municipality.
Reference: “Nanomaterials results on technical performance of a Potassium Methyl Siliconate-based sealant – mainly based on cementitious composites” by Zhipeng Li, SMASCE and Xianming Shi, F.ASCE, February 16, 2022, Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering.
DOI: 10.1061 / MT.1943-5533,0004148
This work is supported by the WSU-led Center for Transportation Infrastructure Protection and Longevity and WSU’s Workplace Commercialization Agency.
