Graphene-hybrid concrete “twice as strong” as normal concrete

A team of scientists from Exeter University in the UK has discovered a way to add graphene to concrete to render it “twice as strong and four times more water resistant" than regular concrete.

Graphene is six times lighter than steel and 200 times stronger. Researchers from Exeter say their concrete can be “used directly by the construction industry on building sites”. This concrete would also be cheap to make and compatible with large-scale production.

Professor Monica Craciun, co-author of the paper, said: “Our cities face growing pressure from pollution, sustainable urbanisation and resilience to catastrophic natural events. This new composite material is an absolute game-changer in terms of reinforcing traditional concrete to meets these needs.

“Not only is it stronger and more durable, but it is also more resistant to water, making it uniquely suitable for construction in areas that require maintenance but are difficult to access.

“More importantly, by including graphene we can reduce the amount of materials required to make concrete by around 50%, leading to a significant reduction in carbon emissions.”