Gerdau Graphene Unveils 'NanoCONS' Line of Graphene Admixtures for Concrete

SAO PAULO, August 13, 2024 (Newswire.com) - Gerdau Graphene, the nanotechnology company pioneering advanced graphene-enhanced materials for industrial applications, today announced “NanoCONS,” a new line of graphene admixture solutions designed for the construction industry. The new NanoCONS line of admixtures will enable concrete producers to leverage the unprecedented physical properties of graphene to improve the mechanical performance of their concrete products. Graphene, a 2D carbon nanomaterial, is the strongest material known to exist and is approximately 100 to 300 times stronger in terms of tensile strength than structural steel. 

The integration of NanoCONS into cementitious materials may also reduce carbon emissions associated with concrete production: according to recent research on graphene-enhanced concrete, reducing cement content can lower concrete manufacturing-related emissions by up to 20%. NanoCONS can help reduce cement consumption without any loss of concrete performance, thereby contributing to more sustainable concrete production.

The NanoCONS line of graphene-enhanced concrete admixtures joins the company’s existing graphene additive lines NanoDUR, NanoLAV, and NanoCORR designed for paints and coatings as well as award-winning Poly-G, the world’s first commercially-produced graphene additives for the plastics industry.

“The launch of the NanoCONS line reflects our team’s efforts in research and applied development aimed at developing industry-leading solutions for the construction industry and underscores our commitment to enhancing the performance, durability, and overall sustainability of industrial products,” said Valdirene Peressinotto, Executive and Innovation Director at Gerdau Graphene. 

NanoCONS W104 — unprecedented performance gains for precast concrete

The first product in the NanoCONS line, NanoCONS W104, is a water-based graphene nanoplate admixture that can be applied to cementitious matrices such as cement pastes, mortars, and concretes to improve physical properties such as durability, mechanical strength, impermeability, and other desired performance attributes. NanoCONS W104 was specially developed for application in precast concrete and offers precast concrete producers:

• Increased mechanical strength: NanoCONS W104 improves the compressive strength performance of concrete by up to 50% in industrial testing. As a result, reinforced precast concrete structures like bridges and buildings can bear more weight and withstand more force.
• Efficient water management and associated cost reduction: NanoCONS W104 is dispersed in the mixing water during concrete production and can contribute to reducing water consumption by 10% to 20% while maintaining the same workability, thereby saving on water-related costs.
• Enhanced durability: NanoCONS W104 improves the microstructure of concrete by reducing its porosity and susceptibility to deleterious agents (like CO₂ and chloride ingress). This extends the lifespan of concrete and ensures concrete resilience even in challenging environments.
• Faster-drying concrete: NanoCONS W104 has been shown to increase the speed of concrete setting time by an average of 30%. In industrial studies, setting time was reduced from 18 hours to 12 hours, enabling faster construction.

“Gerdau has a broad portfolio of solutions for the construction industry, with products for foundations, structures, rebars, profiles and trusses, among many others,” said Elder Rapachi, Executive Director of Gerdau Next. Gerdau Graphene is a Gerdau Next company, a new business unit created by Gerdau, the largest steel producer in the Americas, with the aim of diversifying the company's portfolio with products and services in segments adjacent to steel. “The development of graphene solutions for the construction sector enriches the ecosystem of the entire company. Through Gerdau Next, we can help complement end-to-end service for our customers, offering innovative graphene technologies from Gerdau Graphene in addition to services from other Gerdau Next companies.”

About Gerdau Graphene

Gerdau Graphene is focused on the development and commercialization of chemical additives, mineral additives, and thermoplastic masterbatches enhanced with carbon-based nanomaterials such as graphene. Gerdau Graphene delivers solutions that provide performance gains for the paints and coatings; cement and concrete; and plastics industries. Gerdau Graphene is a Gerdau Next company, Gerdau's new business unit was created with the aim of diversifying the company's portfolio with products and services in several segments adjacent to steel. To learn more, please visit gerdaugraphene.com.

Source: Gerdau Graphene