Vegetables could hold the key to stronger buildings and bridges

Posted On: 2019-08-20

Early research findings show that concrete mixtures including nano platelets from sugar beet or carrot significantly improve the mechanical properties of concrete. The root vegetable nano platelets prevent cracks and increase the amount of calcium silicate hydrate in concrete, which could reduce the 8% of global CO2 emissions resulting from the production of ordinary Portland cement. Proof-of-concept studies showed that adding the root vegetable nano platelets resulted in a saving of 40kg of ordinary Portland cement per cubic metre of concrete – which gives a saving of 40kg of CO2 for the same volume. The vegetable-composite concretes were reported to out-perform other comercially available cement additives, including graphene and carbon nanotubes.

Resource:

https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/vegetables-could-hold-the-key-to-stronger-buildings-and-bridges