Self-Cleaning Concrete Repels Water from Its Pores

Nov-22-19 A strong and lightweight concrete gets a self-cleaning bonus from its array of hydrophilic pores.

While attempts have been made to coat concrete with a water-repellent coating, typical coatings tend to wear away. As a more permanent alternative, the team from the University of Science and Technology of China created a new method that involves mixing an oil and hydrophobic silicon polymer together, and then combining the mixture with an emulsifier to create droplets. The droplets were mixed with the concrete matrix, which was then dried to evaporate the oil and leave behind pores coated with the hydrophobic material. Along with showing excellent self-cleaning properties, the concrete also absorbs sound and reduces heat loss.

More Info about this Invention:

[COSMOSMAGAZINE.COM]
[WWW.ACS.ORG]

---