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INNOVATION RESOURCES

Liquid Granite

Breakthrough:
A new fire-resistant building material that is as versatile as concrete, but made primarily from recycled materials.

Inventor:
Professor Pal Mangat, United Kingdom

Financial reward:
$500,000+

The Story:
Liquid Granite

Cement is considered by some to be something of an environmental menace, being responsible for 5% of the world’s carbon emissions.

To make Standard/Portland cement limestone or clay is heated to 1, 500 degrees Celsius, but this intense burst of energy releases large quantities of carbon dioxide. And so for several years the hunt has been on to find alternative solutions that are environmentally friendly.

Previous attempt to make cement more planet friendly have included adding more aggregate to a concrete mixture so that less cement is used. But this does nothing to reduce the amount of carbon that went into making the cement in the first place.

New Kid on the Block

The new kid on the construction industry block is a new form of liquid granite invented by Prof Pal Mangat of Sheffield Hallam University. He claims that it has the potential to make concrete redundant because of its incredible properties. It has remarkable load bearing capacity, whilst being a lightweight substance and it’s easy to apply and can be poured.

Mangat is keeping the exact formulation of Liquid Granite close to his chest, but says that it is made from an inorganic powder of which between 30 and 70 per cent is recycled industrial waste materials. It uses less than one third of the amount of cement that is found in precast concrete, and the inventor hopes to reduce that even further as he continues to develop the product over the coming years.

Reduces Fire Risks

This new substance not only boasts some impressive environmental credentials, but it is also a breakthrough in reducing fire risks in buildings. It can withstand temperatures of up to 1,100 degrees Celsius whilst maintaining structural properties. And unlike concrete it does not explode in high temperatures. The innovative material has been given a four-hour fire rating which means that it gives top level protection in the event of a fire.

“The fact that it has a high level of fire resistance means it can be used in areas where fire safety is crucial, such as around power stations, and in domestic and commercial buildings it can offer added time for evacuation in case of an emergency.” said Prof Pal Mangat.

Licensing of the Innovation

Although developed at Sheffield Hallam University the material is being made available through Liquid Granite Ltd (a company based in the north of England), and is now being used by a few organizations. It has been supplied to the Olympic Village (for the 2012 Olympic Games which are being held in the UK) and the Stratford Shopping Centre in East London.

Concrete Demand

The French bank Credit Agricole has estimated that by the year 2020 the demand for concrete will be 50% higher than it is today. That makes it an exciting time for innovators such as Mangat who are coming up with construction materials that reduce our carbon footprint.

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