A team of scientists from Rice University has proposed a new recipe for concrete. It differs from the classical formulation in that sand is replaced by graphene. This approach allows not only to reduce sand consumption, but also improves the quality of ready-mix concrete, making it stronger, more durable and lighter. The study was conducted in James Tour’s laboratory, where graphene has been produced using flash joule heating technology for several decades.
Its essence is to rapidly superheat the carbon-rich base material with an electric current. As a result, “graphene flakes” are formed. During a recent experiment, graphene was obtained from metallurgical coke, which is a toxic waste product of industrial production. P. Advinkula, one of the authors of the scientific work, believes that the substance obtained during the experiments can successfully replace the traditional filler for concrete, which is sand. Moreover, the resulting concrete is superior to traditional concrete in a number of ways.
