With help from Australian universities, a new carbon nanotube liquid additive that extends the design life of concrete projects is safe as well as effective.
An innovative process developed in Australia is bringing exceptional levels of strength and durability to concrete products developed through Eden Innovations LLC, called EdenCrete®. The idea originated when scientists wanted to find uses for the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) created when converting methane gas into hydrogen. Scientists found that adding CNTs to a concrete mix created stronger, more durable structures with many positive characteristics that surpass those provided by other mixes.
CNTs are very fine and extremely tough. When added to concrete mixtures the nanotubes fill the spaces at a nanoscopic level between the hydrated cement particles. As the concrete cures, the nanotubes create millions of flexible, strong carbon bridges throughout the structure.
The result is improved characteristics in:
• abrasion
• flexural
• tensile
• compressive
• permeability
Throughout the various stages of development, Allan Godsk Larsen, Chief Scientist-Eden Innovations Ltd, partnered with the University of Queensland, Monash University and Deakin University to commercialize the pyrolytic process and create EdenCrete range of products. Larsen stated, “We worked closely with industry to develop these products. It’s one of the main reasons that the mix is provided in liquid form and not powdered form. EdenCrete can help to improve design-life of concrete structures and pavements, and allows for more sustainable choices to be made by reducing the overall amount of cement used.”
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The Australian Society for Concrete Pavement (ASCP) is happy to announce that EdenCrete® is a Sponsor of their ASCP2021 E-CONFERENCE to be held August 17-19, 2021: www.concretepavements.org/2021/05/30/now-onine-only-ascp2021-3-day-6th-concrete-pavements-e-conference/
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“Harness the increased durability of carbon nanotubes
for your next concrete pour.”
EdenCrete® is a:
• carbon nanotube-enriched liquid additive
• can elevate concrete structures and pavements to new levels of strength and toughness
• can boost surface abrasion resistance
• produces extremely low permeability
• improves strength properties (i.e., compressive, flexural, and split-tensile)
EdenCrete® makes concrete tougher
When added to concrete mixtures, carbon nanotubes in EdenCrete®:
• fill in spaces at the nanoscopic level
• bonds to hydrated cement particles
• when concrete dries, instead of leaving porous openings that would allow water to penetrate or cracks to develop, these nanotubes create millions of flexible, strong carbon bonds throughout the structure
• greatly improve resistance to failure caused by compressive, flexural, tensile, and impact forces
• improve resistance to abrasive wear and crack propagation
• all benefits work together to make concrete more durable—providing the potential for longer life concrete, subject to the concrete mix design, application and conditions
The strength of carbon fiber—now available in concrete.
Carbon nanotubes:
• nanoscopic cylinders of carbon
• barely 1/50,000th the diameter of a human hair
• revolutionized dozens of industries thousands of products from aerospace applications to electronics to sporting equipment
• 117 times stronger (ounce for ounce) than steel
• 30 times stronger than bulletproof Kevlar
• yet extremely light
• create enhanced bonds at the interfacial transition zone between the cement paste and the aggregate
• resulting in superior pullout capacity
• resulting greater aggregate fracture when failure is reached
… aggregate breaks before the concrete does
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Australian test results and Tests by Eden Innovations show:
• exceptional performance can be achieved
• suited for:
– engineers looking for additional durability in marine, underground, or oil and mineral sands environments, where corrosion is a concern
• environments needing improved abrasion resistance such as roads, pavements, heavy traffic, commercial and industrial areas
• only come as liquid mixes for safe handling. Once bonded and crystallised within the concrete, carbon nanotubes are very difficult to return to their earlier form
• CNTs remain bound in the matrix of concrete
• actions such as sawing, crushing or dismantling do not cause them to become freed or airborne
The EdenCrete products were first commercialized in the United States of America (USA) where they have found support among key infrastructure organizations such as:
• Department of Transport in Georgia (GADOT)
Following successful trials, the Department has added EdenCrete as a specified liquid additive to use for any highway repairs.
EdenCrete has just recently become available in Australia and is finding advocates in the construction industry. Brodie Chan, Project Engineer-Port of Brisbane, has recently been trialling EdenCrete. He said, “For us, we take great care around maximizing the expected life of structures in and around our ports. They are extremely expensive to replace at a later stage, so we take great interest in products that can extend the life of concrete structures, roads and bridges in or around a marine environment.” Chan said the trial has yielded positive results with enhanced:
• porosity
• durability
• compressed strength
• other characteristics
Tasha Eagle, ANZ Business Development Manager for Concrete Admixtures and Cement Additives-Parchem Construction Supplies—part of DuluxGroup and the licensed distributor of EdenCrete in Australia and New Zealand—has been liaising with construction companies throughout the region to make sure they are aware of the new product. She said, “We’re here to help engineers and companies around Australia make use of the wonderful properties of EdenCrete. We can share Allan’s test results and provide other resources for use with the Life-365 open-source software. We’ll also supply the parameters for you to work out simulated age of structures across various environments using the chloride diffusion coefficient test results. EdenCrete brings the strength of carbon fiber to concrete while coming from a sustainable process that helps to reduce methane emissions. There are plenty of ways it can be used to help make structures stronger, more durable and reduce our reliance on other, less sustainable materials.”
Prior to COVID-19, and exacerbated by the Suez Canal blockage, supplies of silica fume have been difficult to source here in Australia, according to feedback Parchem has received from construction companies. Silica fume is an effective pozzolanic material added to concrete for improved strength and abrasion resistance. EdenCrete can be added to these concrete mixes, significantly reducing the amount of silica fume required to achieve the improved characteristics.
There are two types of EdenCrete products currently available, each with a shelf-life of 12 months:
1- EdenCrete is designed to add strength and durability to any type of concrete mix
2- EdenCrete Pz is designed to add strength and durability for concrete using fly ash and/or slag as a replacement for cement
For the Create Engineers Australia online Magazine article titled “Australian innovation brings the strength of carbon nanotubes to concrete”, please go to: https://createdigital.org.au/australian-innovation-brings-the-strength-of-carbon-nanotubes-to-concrete/
For EdenCrete, please go to: http://edencrete.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/EdenCrete-AU-Brochure-May-2021.pdf