At 6% of global CO2 emissions, the concrete industry has a lot to gain from graphene.
It’s been said that graphene is currently the world’s most promising material with its impact on civilisations comparable to the Stone, Bronze or Iron Age.
GtM Action is the New Zealand company that has distribution rights for high-quality, industrial-scale graphene, and it has completed the first phase of testing using locally-sourced coarse aggregates, sands and cement.
GtM has been working with New Zealand companies to understand how graphene interacts with local aggregates, and whether the strength advantages that have been proven in the lab can be replicated in less controlled, industrial-scale scenarios.
Multiple research studies have shown that graphene-enhanced concrete provides up to 59% improvement in compressive strength and 33% improvement in tensile strength.
GtM managing director Mike Ogle says they have been able to get similar strength gains using local materials, averaging 31% improvement over control tests.
“We have had some failures but we are now on the right track, and we understand how to overcome one of graphene’s biggest challenges, which is achieving consistent dispersion throughout a mix,” Ogle says.
“Mix design and accuracy of quantities within a mix are also very important to monitor.”
With concrete manufacturing being such a big contributor to global CO2 emissions, estimated between 6% to 8%, being able to remove even 25% of materials without affecting strength would be hugely beneficial.
For the New Zealand concrete industry, this would be equivalent to 23 million trees sequestering carbon over 10 years.
Additional to strength and reducing CO2 emissions, there are other benefits graphene brings to the concrete industry.
With good mix design these include faster cure rate, reduced water permeation, less rebound for sprayed mortars, and reduced micro-cracking and fractures.
Some research also points towards graphene-enhanced concrete creating an improved barrier for salt water applications, and properties that improve concrete’s fire-retardant capabilities.
Working with a prefab concrete manufacturer, New Plymouth’s C&O Concrete Ltd, has enable GtM to quickly test graphene on a larger scale, with batch sizes of up to 1.3 cubic metres.
This has enabled quick turnaround of testing in a variety of products, from portable shed floor slabs, landscape products and explosive goods sheds.
C&O Concrete managing director Stuart Ogle says his team were able to learn a lot by working with a new advanced Nano-material such as graphene.
One of the unexpected benefits discovered when working with graphene-enhanced concrete was the notably improved workability of the end product.
Phase two of testing involves GtM selecting projects that can take advantage of the new and exciting benefits graphene offers New Zealand’s concrete and wider construction industries.
About GtM Action:
GtM has been in the business of helping customers take high-tech products and services to local and global markets since 2013.
Its focus is on using new technologies in traditional industries, enabling step change in productivity, growth in knowledge, and wealth creation, while minimising waste and detrimental environmental impacts.
GtM is the exclusive distributor of First Graphene products to the concrete industry across New Zealand.
It also supports other industries to understand the benefits of graphene throughout the product design, manufacturing and deployment processes.
