Concrete made from medical masks and gloves is stronger than usual
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RMIT University of Melbourne engineers have figured out how to use disposable personal protective equipment (PPE) to increase the strength of concrete. This method will achieve a significant reduction in waste generated during a pandemic.
First, the RMIT research team explored the possibility of recycling three main types of PPE — gowns, masks, and rubber gloves — into stronger concrete aggregate.
Published in Case Studies in Construction Materials, Science of the Total Environment and Journal of Cleaner Production, RMIT research demonstrates the potential of using PPE as reinforcing materials for structural concrete.
According to researchers, on average, about 54,000 tons of PPE are produced daily around the world, and about 129 billion disposable face masks are thrown away every month around the world.
In three studies, the team added shredded gowns, rubber gloves, and face masks to concrete at various concentrations, ranging from 0.1 to 0.25%. Rubber gloves were found to increase the compressive strength of concrete by 22%, while face masks improved it by 17%. At the same time, shredded gowns increase compressive strength by 15%, elasticity by 12%, and bending resistance by 21%.
The scientists now plan to explore the benefits of mixing different PPEs and are in talks with healthcare and construction companies for the first field trials.
“We urgently need smart solutions to the ever-increasing amount of waste generated by COVID-19, a problem that will remain even after the pandemic is over,” said Shannon Kilmartin-Lynch, co-author of the study, research fellow at RMIT.
Author: David Morgan.
Source – techexplore.
Translation by Daniil Prilepsky “Moskovskaya Pravda”
Screenshot from TechExplore website
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