UK Construction firm Nationwide Engineering will make a piece of history today i-e on
Tuesday 25 May, as it completes the laying of the world's first graphene concrete slab
engineered for sustainability in a commercial setting - the new material is strengthened
by around 30% compared to standard concrete and so significantly cutting material use.
Just a couple of miles east of the ancient monument of Stonehenge, the new Southern Quarter
gym in Amesbury's Solstice Park - owned and run by military veterans and due to open in
summer 2021 - is the venue for this innovation milestone, made possible by a joint venture
between Nationwide Engineering and The University of Manchester.
The innovation team have pioneered this breakthrough material in to help significantly reduce CO2
emissions in construction.
The production of cement - the 'glue' for concrete - is one of the leading causes of
global carbon dioxide emissions, producing around 8% of global CO2 emissions.
The addition of tiny amounts of graphene - a 2D material made of a single layer of carbon
atoms - strengthens Nationwide Engineering's new product, Concretene, by around 30% compared
to standard concrete, meaning significantly less material is needed to achieve the equivalent
structural performance, reducing carbon footprint and costs.
The additional strength also reduces the need for steel reinforcement, saving material and
time on site and further promoting the green credentials of this building method.
Nationwide Engineering estimates that an additional cost of 5% for Concretene will be offset by
the reduction in material to deliver an overall saving of 10-20% over standard RC30 concrete.
Nationwide Engineering has three existing five-year construction frameworks with Network
Rail and two seven-year Government Crown commercial building frameworks.
With Network Rail committing to an 11% reduction in CO2 emissions over the next four years,
graphene-enhanced concrete shows significant potential to help meet this target.
For example, the HS2 high-speed rail project is expected to use 19.7 million tonnes of
concrete, creating around 5 million tonnes of CO2 (around 1.4% of UK annual CO2 emissions).
And that’s just in concrete production, before you add in the hundreds of thousands
of train and lorry journeys needed to transport the material to site.
A 30% reduction in material would make a huge difference in environmental impact and cost.
Liquid concrete sets into its solid form through chemical reactions known as hydration and
gelation, where the water and cement in the mixture react to form a paste that dries and
hardens over time.
Graphene makes a difference by acting as a mechanical support and as a catalyst surface
for the initial hydration reaction, leading to better bonding at microscopic scale and
giving the finished product improved strength, durability and corrosion resistance.
Crucially, Concretene can be used just like standard concrete, meaning no new equipment
or training is needed in the batching or laying process, and cost-savings can be passed directly
to the client.
Application Manager at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre, explained that they have
produced a graphene-based additive mixture that is non-disruptive at the point of use.
There’s no change to production or to the construction guys laying the floor.