green concrete

Reinforcing waste-based concrete: Plastic fibers improve mechanical properties of cement–glass composite

By Lisa McDonald / February 16, 2021

Substituting waste materials for cement in concrete helps lower the concrete industry’s carbon emissions and keeps waste materials out of landfills. However, large amounts of glass cullet in concrete will decrease the concrete’s mechanical properties. Researchers in Poland investigated reinforcing the cement–glass composite using plastic fibers.

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Other materials stories that may be of interest

By Faye Oney / October 3, 2018

Spray-on antennas from MXenes, fabricating low-cost, high-efficiency solar cells, and other materials stories that may be of interest for October 3, 2018.

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Fly ash binder could eventually replace Portland cement in concrete

By Faye Oney / June 19, 2018

Scientists have developed an environmentally-friendly material that could eventually replace conventional Portland cement in concrete. The new composite, consisting mostly of fly ash, was found to be as structurally strong as Portland cement.

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Concrete goes ‘green’ with addition of graphene

By Faye Oney / May 29, 2018

Scientists from the University of Exeter have developed a process for producing an environmentally-friendly concrete that incorporates graphene at the nanoscale. The new concrete material is stronger and more water resistant than existing concretes.

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Video: Self-healing concrete uses fungal spores to fix cracks with calcium carbonate

By April Gocha / January 24, 2018

Using a fungus called Trichoderma reesei, researchers at Binghamton University in New York are developing a self-healing concrete formulation that incorporates fungal spores that remain dormant until a crack forms.

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Video: Solidia Technologies cement cuts emissions and enables concrete that soaks up carbon dioxide too

By April Gocha / January 10, 2018

Solidia Technologies is founded on the concept of using eco-friendly processing techniques to drastically lower the carbon footprint of concrete—watch this video to see how the company makes its carbon-dioxide-absorbing concrete blocks.

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Video: Concrete reinforced with recycled tire fibers has enhanced performance, reduced environmental impact

By April Gocha / June 28, 2017

Scientists at the University of British Colombia (Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada) have a new strategy that just might be going somewhere—they’ve devised a technique to incorporate recycled rubber tire fibers into concrete to reuse the waste material, improve the durability of concrete, and reduced the carbon footprint of the concrete industry.

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Other materials stories that may be of interest

By April Gocha / June 21, 2017

Beetles spark development of color-changing nanoparticles for commercial use, one step closer to practical fast charging batteries, and other materials stories that may be of interest for June 21, 2017.

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Arched design allows concrete floors to go thinner and lighter, offers green building solution

By April Gocha / May 16, 2017

Researchers at ETH Zürich have developed a new modular and thin concrete flooring system that weighs 70% less than conventional concrete floors and could offer a greener building solution.

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New ‘sensing skin’ could save roads and structures with early damage detection

By Stephanie Liverani / October 11, 2016

Researchers at North Carolina State University developed a new “sensing skin” that can “detect cracks and other structural flaws that are invisible to the naked eye,” according to an NC State press release.

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