Microbial Biosurfactants for Concrete Workability and Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
The current methods for producing concrete face challenges in balancing water content, which affects strength and workability, as increasing water concentration decreases concrete strength, while inadequate water makes it difficult to manipulate the mixture effectively. Additionally, there is a need for environmentally friendly and cost-effective solutions that can enhance concrete properties such as plasticity, porosity, and stress tolerance.
Innovation Solution
The use of microorganisms, specifically biosurfactant-producing yeast strains like Starmerella bombicola and Wickerhamomyces anomalus, and their byproducts, such as sophorolipids, are incorporated into concrete compositions to reduce water requirements, improve plasticity, decrease porosity, and increase tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, while being environmentally friendly and biodegradable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If water concentration in concrete mixture is increased, then workability and flowability improve, but concrete strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses chemical additives (plasticizers and superplasticizers) as intermediary substances to mediate between water and concrete components. These additives reduce the surface tension and improve workability without requiring additional water, thus maintaining concrete strength while achieving desired flowability and ease of manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the concrete mixture by introducing plasticizers and superplasticizers. These additives modify the rheological properties of the concrete, allowing for improved workability through chemical parameter changes rather than physical water addition, thereby preserving strength characteristics.
2Strength
If water concentration in concrete mixture is decreased, then concrete strength increases, but workability and flowability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Chemical additives serve as intermediaries that enable high-strength concrete to maintain adequate workability. The plasticizers and superplasticizers reduce the water demand for achieving proper flowability, allowing the concrete mixture to achieve both high strength and acceptable workability through the mediating effect of these chemical agents.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by introducing chemical additives that modify the flow characteristics of low-water concrete. This allows the concrete to maintain high strength while achieving sufficient workability through chemical modification rather than physical water addition.
3Strength
If chemical plasticizers are added to reduce water requirements, then water concentration decreases and strength increases, but the complexity of the mixture increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes by introducing chemical additives in controlled concentrations (0.1% to 0.4% for plasticizers, 0.05% to 0.2% for superplasticizers). These small parameter changes achieve significant water reduction (5% to 15%) and strength improvement while maintaining relatively simple mixture composition and avoiding excessive complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The incorporation of microbial products enhances concrete strength, workability, and reduces water consumption, leading to improved durability and resistance to environmental stresses, with potential for reduced curing time and increased longevity of concrete structures.
Implementation Method 1
Biosurfactants are microbially-sourced chemicals that reduce the interfacial tension between phases
Data Source
AI summary
This present invention relates to compositions to improve concrete using biochemical-producing microbes and/or byproducts synthesized by the microbes. The invention also relates to methods for enhancing the performance of the concrete with said microbial strains and/or their byproducts.