Description:
Reference #: 01153
The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities for Alkali-Activated Concrete.
Background:
Portland cement has traditionally been a vital material for the fabrication of concrete components. This paradigm may change in the future, however, as the production of cement requires a vast amount of energy while simultaneously releasing large amounts of CO2. To address these issues, alternative materials have been sought. Ideally, an alternative product will reduce or eliminate the Portland cement component of concrete while demonstrating equal or improved properties.
Invention Description:
This invention is comprised of fly ash-based geopolymer binders and activating solutions for use in forming a concrete, as well as methods for forming the concrete and binders.
Potential Applications:
This alternative concrete may be utilized as a replacement for Portland cement based concrete, or a small amount of Portland cement may be used or calcium aluminate cement or another approach. This will apply to buildings, bridges, dams, nuclear containment structures, and other structures.
Advantages and Benefits:
The work is a new approach for the fabrication of concrete that contains zero Portland cement, differing from the standard approach by developing an ‘alkali-activated fly ash’ concrete. In this approach waste materials such as slag and fly ash are fully utilized while using an alternative activating solution.
Concretes formed of the binders can exhibit excellent compressive strength and fuel energy characteristics, as well as being more cost efficient as compared to other concretes.
Durability is high, with one test case resulting in compressive strength as high as 16,000 psi. Additional heat during curing is not required, but does appear to increase the strength.