SEAMIX: BASALT AND GRAPHENE INFUSED CONCRETE ADMIXTURE FOR PREPARING CEMENTITIOUS COMPOSITION WITH NON-POTABLE WATER

Abstract

An admixture for making a high-strength concrete with any type of water, including potable water, freshwater, saltwater, brackish water, reclaimed water or any other non-potable water. The admixture consists of basalt fibers, graphene nanoplatelets, calcium sulfide, calcium chloride, magnesium oxide and nanoclays. The admixture can be added to the cement to supplement it to increase the overall compressive strength, or the amount of cement used can be reduced by the amount of admixture added to shorten cure times. A concrete mix can also be prepared by replacing the calcium chloride with silica fume, reducing the amount of cement used, and introducing locally sourced aggregates, coarse and fine, to yield Ultra High Performance Concrete. Products made from the concrete incorporating the admixture have increased compression strength, improved cure times, reduced water consumption and corrosion, increased durability and workability, drastically reduced freeze-thaw effects, and superior crack control.

Claims

1. A concrete admixture comprising: Fiber System I; and Fiber System II; wherein Fiber System II comprising: chopped basalt fibers coated with silane; wherein Fiber System II comprises 80.000% of the total volume of the admixture; wherein Fiber System II comprising: chopped basalt fibers coated with silane (9.734% of the total volume of Fiber System I); graphene nanoplatelets under 10 microns in size (1.027% of the total volume of Fiber System I); calcium sulfide (2.053% of the total volume of Fiber System I); calcium chloride (2.053% of the total volume of Fiber System I); magnesium oxide (2.053% of the total volume of Fiber System I); and nanoclay (3.080% of the total volume of Fiber System I); wherein Fiber System I comprises 20.000% of the total volume of the admixture.

2. A concrete admixture comprising: Fiber System I; Fiber System II; and Fiber System III; wherein Fiber System III comprising: chopped basalt fibers coated with silane; wherein Fiber System III comprises 70.000% of the total volume of the admixture; wherein Fiber System I comprising: chopped basalt fibers coated with silane (8.708% of the total volume of Fiber System I); graphene nanoplatelets under 10 microns in size (2.053% of the total volume of Fiber System I), calcium sulfide (2.053% of the total volume of Fiber System I); calcium chloride (2.053% of the total volume of Fiber System I); magnesium oxide (2.053% of the total volume of Fiber System I); and nanoclay (3.080% of the total volume of Fiber System I); wherein Fiber System I comprises 20.000% of the total volume of the admixture; wherein Fiber System II comprising: chopped basalt fibers coated with silane; wherein the fibers are 50 mm in size; wherein the fibers are cured with bisphenol-A epoxy; wherein Fiber System II comprises 10.000% of the total volume of the admixture.

3. A concrete mix comprising: 18.0% Portland cement; 27% coarse aggregate; 25% fine aggregate; 19.5% water; 0.5% graphene nanoplatelets; 1.5% silica fume; 0.5% magnesium oxide; 0.5% calcium sulfide; Fiber System I; wherein Fiber System I comprising: chopped basalt fibers coated with silane; wherein the fibers are 24 mm in size, wherein Fiber System I comprises 2.5% of the total volume of the concrete mix; Fiber System II; wherein Fiber System II comprising: chopped basalt fibers coated with silane; wherein the fibers are 3 mm in size; wherein Fiber System II comprises 2.5% of the total volume of the concrete mix; Fiber System III; wherein Fiber System III comprising: chopped basalt fibers coated with silane; wherein the fibers are 50 mm in size; wherein the fibers are cured with bisphenol-A epoxy; and wherein Fiber System III comprises 2.5% of the total volume of the concrete mix.

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. A cement mixture wherein the concrete admixture of any of the claims 1 or 2, is mixed with cement.

7. The concrete mix of claim 3 wherein the cement is Type 1 or Type 2 Portland cement.

8. A cementitious composition comprised of cement, the concrete admixture of any of the claims 1 or 2, and non-potable water with salinity of 30,000-40,000 mg/L, i.e., saltwater.

9. A cementitious composition comprised of cement, the concrete admixture of any of the claims 1 or 2, and non-potable water with salinity of 500-17,000 mg/L, i.e., brackish water.

10. A cementitious composition comprised of cement, the concrete admixture ofany of the claims 1 or 2, and potable water.

11. A cementitious composition comprised of cement, the concrete admixture ofany of the claims 1 or 2, and freshwater.

12. A cementitious composition prepared by the method of claim 3, wherein the water used is potable water.

13. A cementitious composition prepared by the method of claim 3, wherein the water used is freshwater.

14. A cementitious composition prepared by the method of claim 3, wherein the water used is non-potable water.

15. A cementitious composition prepared by the method of claim 3, wherein the water used is non-potable water having a salinity of 30,000-40,000 mg/L, i.e., saltwater.

16. A cementitious composition prepared by the method of claim 44, wherein the water used is non-potable water having a salinity of 500-17,000 mg/L, i.e., brackish water.

17. A cementitious composition, comprised of cement, the concrete admixture of any of the claims 1 or 2, and water, or prepared by the method of claim 3, wherein after 14 days, the compressive strength of the cementitious composition is at least 4000 PSI.

18. A cementitious composition, comprised of cement, the concrete admixture of any of the claims 1 or 2, and water, or prepared by the method of claim 3, wherein after 50 days, the compressive strength of the cementitious composition is at least 4000 PSI.

19. A cementitious composition, comprised of cement, the concrete admixture of any of the claims 1 or 2, and water, or prepared by the method of claim 3, wherein after 365 days, the compressive strength of the cementitious composition is at least 4000 PSI.

20. A structure formed by a cementitious composition prepared using any of the claims 1-3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0051] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the following Examples.

Example 1

[0052] An admixture is prepared consisting of two systems of fibers, Fiber System I and Fiber System II, where Fiber System I is 20% of the total volume of the admixture, and Fiber System II is 80% of the total volume of the admixture. Fiber System I is prepared by mixing chopped basalt fibers coated with silane. (9.734% of the total volume of Fiber System I), graphene nanoplatelets under 10 microns in size (1.027% of the total volume of Fiber System I), calcium sulfide (2.053% of the total volume of Fiber System I), calcium chloride (2.053% of the total volume of Fiber System I), magnesium oxide (2.053% of the total volume of Fiber System I) and nanoclay (3.080% of the total volume of Fiber System I). The particulates of Fiber System I are combined in an auger mixer. The tumbled Fiber System I is blended with Fiber System II. which consists of chopped basalt fibers coated with silane. A cementitious composition was prepared by adding the admixture to Ready Mixed concrete mix prepared according to the package specifications but using non-potable water as the aqueous medium.

[0053] Whereas a cementitious composition was prepared using the Ready Mixed concrete according to the package specifications without the admixture, after 28 days the sample had a compressive strength of 3000 PSI. A cementitious composition prepared using the admixture had a compressive strength of 4460 PSI at the same age. The Seamix treated concrete showed increased compression, workability, and a resistance to corrosion. The overall strength of the design mix was increased by 30%, with an increased durability in freeze-thaw cycles, and reduction in the water to cement ratio.

Example 2

[0054] An admixture is prepared consisting of three systems of fibers, Fiber System I. Fiber System II, and Fiber System III, where Fiber System I is 20% of the total volume of the admixture, Fiber System II is 10% of the total volume of the admixture, and Fiber System III is 30% of the total volume of the admixture. Fiber System I is prepared by mixing chopped basalt fibers coated with silane (8.708% of the total volume of Fiber System I), graphene nanoplatelets under 10 microns in size (2.053% of the total volume of Fiber System I), calcium sulfide (2.053% of the total volume of Fiber System I), calcium chloride (2.053% of the total volume of Fiber System I), magnesium oxide (2.053% of the total volume of Fiber System I) and nanoclay (3.080% of the total volume of Fiber System I). The particulates of Fiber System I are combined in an auger mixer. Fiber System II is prepared with chopped basalt fibers coated with silane and cured with bismal-A epoxy, where the chopped basalt fibers are 50 mm in size. Fiber System III consists of chopped basalt fibers coated with silane. The tumbled Fiber System I, cured Fiber System II, and Fiber System III are combined. A cementitious composition was prepared by adding the admixture to Ready Mixed concrete mix prepared according to the package specifications but using non-potable water as the aqueous medium.

[0055] Whereas a cementitious composition was prepared using the Ready Mixed concrete according to the package specifications without the admixture, after 28 days the sample had a compressive strength of 5000 PSI. A cementitious composition prepared using the admixture had a compressive strength of 7120 PSI at the same age. The resulting concrete showed increased compression, workability, resistance to corrosion. The overall strength of the design mix was increased by 150%.

Example 3

[0056] A concrete mix is prepared consisting of 18.0% Portland cement, 27% coarse aggregate, 25% fine aggregate; 19.5% non-potable water, 0.5% graphene nanoplatelets under ten microns in size, 1.5% silica fume, 0.5% magnesium oxide, 0.5% calcium sulfide, and three systems of fibers, Fiber System I, Fiber System II, and Fiber System III, where each Fiber System is 2.5% of the total volume concrete mix. Fiber System I is prepared by coating basalt fibers with silane, where the fibers are each 24 mm in size. Fiber System II is prepared by coating basalt fibers with silane, where the fibers are each 3 mm in size. Fiber System III is prepared by coating basalt fibers with silane and curing the fibers with bismal-A epoxy, where the chopped basalt fibers are each 50 mm in size. Fiber System III consists of chopped basalt fibers coated with silane. A cementitious composition was prepared from the concrete mix. The resulting concrete exhibited increased compression, workability, resistance to corrosion, and the overall compressive strength attained was 17,000 PSI—the minimum ASTM standard for Ultra High Performance Concrete.