Post by account_disabled on Feb 20, 2024 3:08:21 GMT -5
Construction is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions , so finding new materials and methods is a crucial goal. Flinders University researchers have developed a new type of polymer, made from industrial waste, that can be made into building bricks that join together without the need for mortar .
The cement problem.
Concrete is an extremely versatile material, but BTC Number Data cement production alone is responsible for up to % of all human-caused carbon dioxide emissions.
This huge footprint could be reduced by finding ways to incorporate waste materials such as wood or old tires into the mix, using different binders or developing alternative materials.
New alternative.
The team had previously developed polymers made mainly from sulfur left over from industrial processes, which could be used to capture heavy metal pollution or to make more sustainable fertilizers.
Now, these polymers have been put to work as more environmentally friendly building blocks .
The polymer is made by mixing sulfur with varying proportions of canola oil and dicyclopentadiene (DCPD).
Sulfur and DCPD are byproducts of petroleum refining that are currently discarded , while canola oil can be obtained from kitchen waste.
How is this made.
The polymer is heated, molded and cured into bricks, and the entire process consumes much less energy than cement production.
But what's really impressive is how these bricks adhere to each other, essentially acting as their own mortar without the need for any other adhesive.
The cement problem.
Concrete is an extremely versatile material, but BTC Number Data cement production alone is responsible for up to % of all human-caused carbon dioxide emissions.
This huge footprint could be reduced by finding ways to incorporate waste materials such as wood or old tires into the mix, using different binders or developing alternative materials.
New alternative.
The team had previously developed polymers made mainly from sulfur left over from industrial processes, which could be used to capture heavy metal pollution or to make more sustainable fertilizers.
Now, these polymers have been put to work as more environmentally friendly building blocks .
The polymer is made by mixing sulfur with varying proportions of canola oil and dicyclopentadiene (DCPD).
Sulfur and DCPD are byproducts of petroleum refining that are currently discarded , while canola oil can be obtained from kitchen waste.
How is this made.
The polymer is heated, molded and cured into bricks, and the entire process consumes much less energy than cement production.
But what's really impressive is how these bricks adhere to each other, essentially acting as their own mortar without the need for any other adhesive.