Editorial comment
In my comment for the July issue of World Cement, I discussed NASA’s Artemis Lunar exploration programme or, more specifically, the research going towards novel power generation methods such as micro nuclear plants. I thought this drew an interesting parallel with the cement industry’s drive to find clean, reliable sources of fuel and power down here on Earth.
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We continue the lunar exploration theme this month with the news that scientists from the University of Delaware have been working to develop cements that can be made from resources available on the moon. A sustained human presence on the moon, or even Mars, will require considerable infrastructure that doesn’t currently exist, and can’t just be shipped from Earth. Structures, such as housing and launch pads for rockets for example, will need to be constructed in situ.
“If we’re going to live and work on another planet like Mars or the moon, we need to make concrete. But we can’t take bags of concrete with us – we need to use local resources,” said Norman Wagner, Unidel Robert L. Pigford Chair of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Delaware.
Using simulated Lunar and Martian soil samples, and testing in a variety of conditions, the team at the University of Delaware have been able to learn a great deal about the impact of extraterrestrial environments on geopolymer cement. Particularly relevant to extra-terrestrial construction, is the finding that low-temperatures and vacuum conditions during manufacture have a negative impact on compressive strength. “When a rocket takes off there’s a lot of weight pushing down on the landing pad and the concrete needs to hold, so the material’s compressive strength becomes an important metric,” notes Wagner.
The findings from the project have also shed light on areas that will help the development of geopolymer cements for use on Earth; two graduate students are already exploring ways to use geopolymer cements to 3D-print houses and to activate geopolymer materials using microwave technology.
In other news relating to novel cement formulations, researchers at Washington State University have found they can increase the flexural strength of cement by up to 40%, and its compressive strength by 12%, through the inclusion of chitin from the shells of crustaceans. The seafood industry generates approximately 12 million tpy of chitin, which is sometimes simply dumped back into the ocean.
The encouraging results above were achieved with just 0.01% chitin added to the cement samples. By making cement stronger and thus reducing the need for repairs or replacement, reducing waste, and limiting the pollution of coastlines, this seafood-themed cement could be a win-win for the environment.
