The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is related to a wider use of superhydrophobic admixtures and concrete with enhanced durability. This approach is expected to lead to a highly effective method for improving the durability of concrete, especially concrete with large volumes of industrial by-products such as fly ash and slag used as cement replacements. New superhydrophobic admixtures enable extending the service life of concrete structures, save raw materials and energy, and reduce the environmental impacts associated with construction; these features are essential for future durable and resilient civil and transportation infrastructure. In order to boost concrete durability, thisp roject aims to incorporate the proposed admixture into concrete as a component of the mixture (the approach used for new concrete) or as a surface treatment (the option for concrete repair). This project will explore the feasibility of a family of superhydrophobic products tailored for these two large-volume markets. Ultimately, the proposed approach will improve the performance of concrete structures while substantially decreasing the maintenance costs compared to standard practices.
This I-Corps project aims to test the business model hypotheses and verify the commercial potential of admixtures for high-performance concrete. The superhydrophobic admixture combines the emulsified hydrogen containing siloxane precursor and small quantities of submicron-sized particles. When added to fresh concrete, the developed admixture releases hydrogen and forms very small air voids evenly distributed within the cement paste. The resulting concrete is water resistant, improving concrete resilience and durability. The developed superhydrophobic coatings applied on existing concrete render it water repellant and also ice-phobic, reducing ice adhesion.
