Nanocem

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Nanocem is a consortium of academic and private industry groups, founded in 2004 and headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. The consortium researches the properties of cement and concrete on the nano- and micro-scales, with a particular focus on reducing carbon dioxide emissions at all stages of production. As of 2018, Nanocem includes 34 organizations and supports more than 120 researchers.

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Description

Nanocem is a consortium of academic and private industry groups that researches the properties of cement and concrete on the nano- and micro-scales. The research has a particular focus on reducing carbon dioxide emissions at all stages of production. [1] [2] The consortium is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. As of 2018, it includes 34 organizations and supports more than 120 researchers. [3] There are some 60 doctoral and postdoctoral research projects in the area of fundamental research that have been supported by Nanocem.

The research is conducted at a fundamental level, though high levels of industry involvement allows for focus on solutions that can work in practice and not just in theory. This model of cooperation between industry and the academic community has led to the identification of common issues, shared knowledge, and clear benefits for all those involved. For instance, Nanocem has been able to help map the research needs for lower carbon concrete. This guidance helped focus research by companies and third parties.

History

Nanocem was founded as an independent consortium in 2004 after a rejection of a 2002 bid to the Network of Excellence (European Framework Programme).

Nanocem's eleven completed core projects have included studies of interactions between admixtures and cement, [4] [5] concrete durability, the kinetics of cement hydration, [6] and the use of magnetic resonance imaging techniques in concrete analysis. [7] Recent Nanocem-sponsored projects have included the use of nanotechnology in cementitious materials, [8] [9] the effects of sulfate on concrete, [10] the development of a bipolar mineral organic composite that can bond with Portland cement on one pole and polymerize with the other, [11] and studies of cement hydration at the molecular level. [12] Its research has led to more than one hundred published papers and conference papers. [13] There are some 120 academic researchers in the team who between them are in the process of managing some 60 PhD and PostDoctoral research projects in the area of fundamental research.

Participating organizations

Nanocem consists of 34 academic and private industry partners. [3] [14] The members of Nanocem collectively have access to a large range of state of the art equipment for the study of cementitious materials.

Academic

Industrial

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cement</span> Hydraulic binder used in the composition of mortar and concrete

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ready-mix concrete</span> Concrete that is manufactured in a batch plant, according to a set engineered mix design

Ready-mix concrete (RMC) is concrete that is manufactured in a batch plant, according to each specific job requirement, then delivered to the job site "ready to use".

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Calcium silicate hydrates are the main products of the hydration of Portland cement and are primarily responsible for the strength of cement-based materials. They are the main binding phase in most concrete. Only well defined and rare natural crystalline minerals can be abbreviated as CSH while extremely variable and poorly ordered phases without well defined stoichiometry, as it is commonly observed in hardened cement paste (HCP), are denoted C-S-H.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Types of concrete</span> Building material consisting of aggregates cemented by a binder

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geopolymer cement</span> Aluminosilicate-based cement with a low-carbon footprint

Geopolymer cement is a binding system that hardens at room temperature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energetically modified cement</span> Class of cements, mechanically processed to transform reactivity

Energetically modified cements (EMCs) are a class of cements made from pozzolans, silica sand, blast furnace slag, or Portland cement. The term "energetically modified" arises by virtue of the mechanochemistry process applied to the raw material, more accurately classified as "high energy ball milling" (HEBM). This causes, amongst others, a thermodynamic transformation in the material to increase its chemical reactivity. For EMCs, the HEBM process used is a unique form of specialised vibratory milling discovered in Sweden and applied only to cementitious materials, here called "EMC Activation".

Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) is a low-carbon cement developed by the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, IIT-Bombay, Technology and Action for Rural Development (TARA), IIT-Madras, and the Central University of Las Villas (Cuba). The cement can reduce carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) related to manufacturing by 30% as compared to ordinary Portland cement. In 2014, the LC3 project received 4m CHF in Research and Development funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karen Scrivener</span> Material scientist specialised in cement and concrete

Karen Louise Scrivener is a material chemist known for her pioneering works in cementitious materials. She is the head of Laboratory of Construction Materials at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne and served as the editor-in-chief of the Cement and Concrete Research journal for 15 years.

Franz-Josef Ulm is a structural engineer, an engineering scientist and a professor since 1999. He is Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Faculty Director of the Concrete Sustainability Hub (CSHub@MIT). He is credited for discovering the nanogranular structure of Calcium-Silicate-Hydrates (C-S-H), the binding phase of concrete, and for the development of concepts of nanoengineering of concrete which combine advanced nanomechanics experiments with molecular simulation results. He speaks up for an environmental sustainable engineering, with “greener” concrete with lower CO2 footprint, to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete; to enhance concrete's resilience; and reduce its impact on global warming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nanoconcrete</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Self-healing concrete</span>

Self-healing concrete is characterized as the capability of concrete to fix its cracks on its own autogenously or autonomously. It not only seals the cracks but also partially or entirely recovers the mechanical properties of the structural elements. This kind of concrete is also known as self-repairing concrete. Because concrete has a poor tensile strength compared to other building materials, it often develops cracks in the surface. These cracks reduce the durability of the concrete because they facilitate the flow of liquids and gases that may contain harmful compounds. If microcracks expand and reach the reinforcement, not only will the concrete itself be susceptible to attack, but so will the reinforcement steel bars. Therefore, it is essential to limit the crack's width and repair it as quickly as feasible. Self-healing concrete would not only make the material more sustainable, but it would also contribute to an increase in the service life of concrete structures and make the material more durable and environmentally friendly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3D concrete printing</span>

3D concrete printing, or simply concrete printing, refers to digital fabrication processes for cementitious materials based on one of several different 3D printing technologies. 3D printed concrete eliminates the need for formwork, reducing material waste and allowing for greater geometric freedom in complex structures. With recent developments in mix design and 3D printing technology over the last decade, 3D concrete printing has grown exponentially since its emergence in the 1990s. Architectural and structural applications of 3D-printed concrete include the production of building blocks, building modules, street furniture, pedestrian bridges, and low-rise residential structures.

References

  1. ↑ Scrivener, K. "Nanocem: An iterative process of dialogue." Archived 2016-06-10 at the Wayback Machine ZKG International 59.6. 2006.
  2. ↑ "Industrial competitors can share knowledge." Archived 2008-11-20 at the Wayback Machine Crescendo. April 2006.
  3. 1 2 "About Us." Archived 2016-05-19 at the Wayback Machine Nanocem. Accessed 18-5-16.
  4. ↑ Nalet, Camille (2016). Influence de la stéréochimie et de la fonctionnalité de molécules organiques sur l'hydratation de composés cimentaires.
  5. ↑ Giraudeau, Claire (2009). Interactions organo - aluminates dans les ciments. Intercalation de polyméthacrylates-g-PEO dans l'hydrocalumite.
  6. ↑ Berodier, Elise (2015). Impact of the supplementary cementitious materials on the kinetics and microstructural development of cement hydration. Thesis (Thesis). Archived from the original on 2019-01-31. Retrieved 2019-01-30.
  7. ↑ "Our Research." Archived 2016-05-03 at the Wayback Machine Nanocem. Accessed 4-4-17.
  8. ↑ Scrivener, K. "Nanotechnology and cementitious materials." Nanotechnology in Construction 3. Eds. Bittnar, Z., Bartos, P.J.M., Nemecek, J., Smilauer, V., Zeman, J. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2009. pp. 37-42.
  9. ↑ Hao, X.H., Zhang, A.Q., Yang, W. "Study on the Performance of Nano Calcium Carbonate Modified Asphalt Concrete AC-13" Archived 2016-06-10 at the Wayback Machine . Advanced Materials Research 450.2: 503-07. 2012.
  10. ↑ Scrivener, K. L. "Importance of Microstructural Understanding for Durable and Sustainable Concrete." Concrete Repair, Rehabilitation and Retrofitting. Eds. Mark G. Alexander, Hans-Dieter Beushausen, Frank Dehn, Pilate Moyo. CRC Press, 2008. pp. 11-17. Accessed via Google Books 18-5-16.
  11. ↑ Li, Z. Advanced Concrete Technology. John Wiley & Sons, 2011. Accessed via Google Books 18-5-16.
  12. ↑ Birgisson, B., Taylor, P., Armaghani, J., Shah, S. "American road map for research for nanotechnology-based concrete materials." Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 2142. 2010.
  13. ↑ "Our Publications". Archived 2016-06-11 at the Wayback Machine Nanocem. Accessed 4-4-17.
  14. ↑ Mulot, R. “Pour faire sa révolution, le béton fait appel aux nanosciences” Archived 2016-06-24 at the Wayback Machine . Sciences et Avenir. 16 October 2008.
  15. ↑ "vdz ggmbh home". Archived from the original on 2017-04-05. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
  16. ↑ "Nanocem - Partners". Archived from the original on 2018-04-16. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  17. ↑ "CRH what we do". Archived from the original on 2017-04-21. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
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