About the Seminar:

Concrete is valued in architecture, noted for its durability, longevity, and mechanical properties. However, these properties can be improved even further by the addition of small additives that can promote a denser, stronger composite. Stein and Stevels first added nanoparticles to make concrete composites in 1964 by introducing nano-SiO2 to simplified cement. This exploration led to an entire field of nano-concrete composites which proved to enhance the physical properties of the material through increased mechanical strength and durability. This is believed to come from the increased density from nanomaterials packing into the matrix and the reactivity of the high surface area on the concrete hydration reaction. While these composites have been studied for 60 years, the significance of the effect of nanoparticle surfaces on concrete properties from a chemistry perspective has been minimally studied and contributes to some of the challenges seen in the field. By using colloidal synthesis methods, surface chemistry can allow for improvement of composite processing and material design of desired material properties