NANOTECHNOLOGY IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
“The premise of nanotechnology is that if nature is capable of doing it, so can we.”
The above quote by Benjamin Melki sums up what the researchers are hoping for from nanotechnology and what we plan to do with it. But the most simplistic way to define it would be-
“The small particles that made up Iron man’s new suit.” -Avengers Endgame
Yes, the same particles that regenerated over time and seemed to have a life of their own. They were not something that could be perceived by the human eye. Because we are talking right at the molecular level or maybe even smaller, the atomic level. To realize the true potential of nanotech would mean to create a self-sufficient particle like the atom, and we know that if realized, it would be the most extraordinary feat of the millennia. Though the current technology can’t create something as unbelievable as the iron man’s suit, we must remember that to create it, we must first envision it. The realization of 3D hologram envisioned first in ‘Star Wars’ and AI and VR envisioned in ‘The Matrix’ are examples of the same. In both of these, though we didn’t make it to the moon, we managed to land on the stars!
We use the term nanotechnology synonymously to the future, generally referring to it as technology that will be realized in the near future, but thanks to the untiring efforts of our researchers, it is finding many applications in the field of civil engineering.
Having talked about nanotechnology in general, let’s now bring it to the construction and manufacturing process and define it accordingly-
“Nanotechnology is the re-engineering of materials and devices by controlling the matter at the atomic level” — Roco et al., 1999.
Nanotechnology makes us able to alter the properties of some materials at the atomic level and makes the material able to perform tasks that might not be possible in its true form. In the process, we might also end up with materials having significantly more usage than their parent material. A tremendous amount of money is being spent on nanotechnological research and it has shown promising development. It has found a great many uses in the field of civil engineering let’s take a better look at them.
NANO-CEMENT:-
Portland cement is the most widely used construction material. However, it is not the application of the technology at the nano-level. Concrete is, after all, a macro-material, strongly influenced by its nano-properties and understanding it at nano level can provide avenues for improvement of strength and durability. The addition of nanoscale materials into cement could improve its performance. The use of nano-SiO2 could significantly increase the compressive power of the cement. It has also been reported that adding a small amount of carbon nanotube by weight could increase both compressive and flexural strength.
NANO-STEEL:-
One of the major challenges while using steel as a construction material is fatigue cracking i.e. when the stress factors exceed the tensile strength. Research has shown that addition of copper nano-particles reduces the surface unevenness of steel which in turn prevents fatigue cracking.
NANO-TUBES:-
To produce strong and durable conductive films, carbon nano-tubes are mixed with alumino-silicates. Also, these nano-tubes can be used to produce extraordinary composites, which retain the properties of nano-tubes but require a very small volume percent of nano-tubes.
SOME OTHER APPLICATIONS:-
- The enhancement of fiber wrapping to fibre-sheet which has nano-silica particles making it way more efficient in strengthening applications.
- Nano-fibres like the Wollastonite improve the durability of wood making it impervious to flame.
- Vanadium and molybdenum nano-particles can improve the fracture problems associated with high strength bolts.
- Nanosensors have enabled us to monitor early age concrete properties such as moisture, temperature, relative humidity and early age strength development.
Though this novel technology comes with a heap of advantages and limitless potential, it is hence quite expensive. Due to the novelty of the technology and the complexity involved, the costs amplify. Not to mention the hazardous impact it poses on the environment and the workers.
But these negative impacts are soon to be wiped out, as the research in this field is being fueled by multinational corporations and venture capital investments. Many of the world’s largest companies, such as IBM, Intel, Motorola, and Lucent, have all had significant Nano-related research projects going on or launched their own nanotech initiative. It is hoped that as the research progresses, we will be able to design structures with much-improved efficiency, sustainability and adaptability to the changing environment.
AUTHOR:- Omm Animesh Mishra
REFERENCES:-
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340062448_Nanotechnology_in_Civil_Engineering_Construction
https://theconstructor.org/concrete/application-of-nanotechnology-in-civil-engineering/5255/
https://www.slideshare.net/Colloquium/nanotechnology-in-civil-engineering
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-90893-9_68
