25 August 2021
Graphene: The New Face of Carbon and Its Potential in the AEC Industry
Technological advances have produced self-healing and self-replicating concrete (discussed in a previous article), but carbon is no shrinking violet and deserves an ode to its potential impact on the concrete scene.
Who in the AEC industry would say no to a form of concrete that was lighter, stronger and more environmentally friendly? We can hear those cog wheels turning already. Oh, the possibilities . . .
Game Show Time: For $100, What Is an Allotrope?
Before we get into graphene itself, we need to define “allotrope” and you’ll soon see why. We’d heard of allopathy, an allosaurus and all kinds of other “allo” words, but “allotrope” was a new one on us.
It turns out we quite like allotrope: “… each of two or more different physical forms in which an element can exist. Graphite, charcoal, and diamond are all allotropes of carbon.” And so is graphene. (We’re thinking that if chocolate was ever declared an element, wow, imagine of all those yummily edible allotropes — choc chip cookies, chocolate milk, chocolate ice cream, chocolate cake? Oh, boy. Get thee behind me, Satan.)
Anyway, now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s take a closer look at the hero of this piece. In case you haven’t heard of it, graphene is “an allotrope of carbon consisting of a single layer of atoms arranged in a two-dimensional honeycomb lattice.” Glad we established what an allotrope was!
As the strongest material on Earth, graphene can be used to enhance or reinforce existing materials.
So, in layman’s terms, graphene is a delicate layer of carbon that looks like a honeycomb-shaped mesh and is only the thickness of a single atom. What the heck could anyone possibly do with something so gossamer-fine and seemingly fragile?
Carbonaceous Superpowers
Well, for starters, graphene is generally considered to be the world’s thinnest, strongest and most conductive material — of both electricity and heat. When one considers all its potential applications, it genuinely appears to be the wonder-material of the future. Where plastic, once-upon-a-time, was thought to be the material of the future, a few decades later, we now know how much of a pain plastic is. From its creation to its demise (or lack thereof), plastic has our planet in a chokehold. Graphene, on the other hand, decomposes as UV light (sunlight) initiates an oxidation process that fragments a water-dispersible form of graphene, which eventually decomposes the material. Good to know.
Who in the AEC industry would say no to a form of concrete that was lighter, stronger and more environmentally friendly?
With a reputation for the potential to utterly revolutionize entire industries, we still wanted to know what anyone could do with something so apparently fragile, albeit thin, strong and conductive. It transpires that the list of potential applications is massive.
Mechanical
As the strongest material on Earth, graphene can be used to enhance or reinforce a vast array of existing materials. Adding even a trace amount to plastics, metals or other materials makes those materials significantly stronger — and lighter. If you’ve guessed that this is where applications for the AEC industry enter the picture, you’re bang on the money. More on this below.
Thermal
Graphene is currently considered the most heat conductive material Man has ever known, making it perfect for applications such as heat dissipation. Expect to see it in everything from microelectronics to mobile phones and the aerospace industry.
And More
Graphene from garbage . . . a good win-win!
Graphene looks very promising for the energy storage field, in everything from supercapacitors to household batteries. It shows enormous promise in the areas of anti-corrosion coatings; paints; efficient and accurate sensors; faster and more efficient electronics; solar panels; faster DNA sequencing; drug delivery and much more.
Our interest, however, lies more in the field of the CAD-related industries of architecture, engineering and construction, hence our interest in the use of graphene in concrete. Here’s the scoop.
Concrete, Under Pressure
Global population growth and rapid urbanization are forcing the growth of the concrete industry, which, at the same time, is coming under enormous pressure to reduce its carbon footprint.
As the new kid on the block (excuse the pun), graphene provides a triple win as a concrete additive by 1) increasing strength, 2) potentially increasing the durability and longevity of concrete products and 3) simultaneously reducing carbon footprint.
While there are various ways to address the challenge of concrete’s brittle nature, the addition of graphene simultaneously improves compressive strength by up to 146 percent, flexural strength by up to 15.6 percent, and also increases split tensile strength. Naturally, more resilient concrete will crack less and also resist stress better. The more crack-resistant you can make concrete, the longer it lasts and the less maintenance it requires. What’s not to like?
Italcementi press office
The corrosion of structural steel encased in concrete is an issue that can have catastrophic results, as described in this recent article. Graphene concrete is approximately up to four times less water-permeable than traditional concrete, significantly reducing the chances of rebar corrosion.
Graphene concrete uses considerably less cement to deliver the desired strength. This results in reducing CO2 emissions by around 983 pounds per ton. “Effectively you can use less concrete to get the same strength that you would have with a normal concrete,” says Exeter University professor of nanoscience and nanotechnology, Monica Craciun. “You can use around 50 percent less concrete; in that way, you can have a significant reduction of carbon emissions.” Michael Edwards, Commercial Director of Advanced Materials at chemical manufacturer Thomas Swan, agrees. “With eight percent of the World’s carbon emissions emanating from concrete production, this demonstrates a tangible commitment to our internal goal of achieving Carbon Net-Zero by 2030.”
Additionally, graphene may be sourced from sustainable sources. To prove a point, Rice University in Houston, Texas, was able to produce graphene from garbage. We love a good win-win!
Graphene is a delicate layer of carbon, arranged as a honeycomb lattice that is the thickness of a single atom.
The first graphene concrete hit the US commercial market in April 2021, so if you’re interested in using this wonder-material in a project, check local resources for a supplier near you. Alternatively, you can order various graphene products, including concrete additive, online.
In terms of future technology, since graphene is highly conductive, researchers are looking at ways of connecting walls and floors to a wireless heating system. Other applications of graphene’s conductivity could include de-icing surfaces for airport runways, high-speed rail, wireless charging for electric vehicles, anti-static flooring and much, much more.
Software Additives To Make You Smile
Regardless of whether you’re a MicroStation, Revit or AutoCAD user, you’re probably aware of the quirks of your CAD platform. That’s where Axiom steps up, offering software “additives” to strengthen your performance and reduce your workload.
Our job is to make your job easier and less stressful. We provide productivity-enhancing software for CAD professionals working in MicroStation, AutoCAD and Revit. These products help reduce both aggravation and repetitive tasks, and save you a ton of time so that you can focus on the important things that really matter, like maybe figuring out how to include graphene concrete in a future project!
Axiom provides software “additives” to strengthen your performance and reduce your workload.
