Revolutionary phase-change concrete can melt ice and snow on its own

A new type of phase-change concrete could completely revolutionize how we handle icy conditions. That’s because the new concrete is capable of melting ice and snow, removing the need to use salt or shoveling. 

Scientists have created a new self-heating material that could heavily reduce the amount of plowing and salting needed to keep roadways safe. As it stands, more than 70% of roads are within snowy regions, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) claims. As such, there are many times throughout the year when 70% of our roads may become too dangerous to drive on with great safety.

This new material, which is highlighted in a new study, could greatly change that. Currently, one of the main methods we rely on to combat icy conditions is the use of salt to help prevent it. However, the highly concentrated salt used on roads can actually cause them to deteriorate faster. But, a phase-change concrete could remove the need for salt altogether.

snowblower
Snowblowers could become a thing of the past if this concrete is made available to the general public. Image source: Kathy Images/Adobe

It’s a novel idea and something that sounds like it was ripped right out of a piece of science fiction media. But it also isn’t the first time we’ve seen researchers doing cool things outside the box with concrete. We’ve also seen energy-storing concrete capable of holding onto unused energy and then releasing it when it is needed.

Tech. Entertainment. Science. Your inbox.

Sign up for the most interesting tech & entertainment news out there.

By signing up, I agree to the Terms of Use and have reviewed the Privacy Notice.

The main goal of phase-change concrete is to keep the surface temperature of the concrete above freezing. This makes it harder for snow and ice to accumulate on the surface. The researchers also used a material known as paraffin. Paraffin is a “phase-change” material because it releases heat when it moves from a liquid state at room temperature.

Thus far, the new concrete has only been tested in controlled scenarios. However, the latest test was conducted by the researchers in real-time, under real-world conditions – something made possible thanks to the researchers being located in Pennsylvania. The researchers tested two different methods of adding paraffin to the concrete and tested those two against one slab with no added paraffin. 

Note: This article have been indexed to our site. We do not claim legitimacy, ownership or copyright of any of the content above. To see the article at original source Click Here

Related Posts
Tomato Juice Shows Antimicrobial Activity against Enteric Pathogens thumbnail

Tomato Juice Shows Antimicrobial Activity against Enteric Pathogens

Tomatoes are readily available and affordable vegetables that offer a range of health benefits due to their bioactive molecules, such as antioxidants and antimicrobials. In contrast to the widely recognized antioxidant properties of tomatoes, their antimicrobial properties are largely unexplored. In a new study, scientists at Cornell University investigated the antimicrobial properties of tomato juice
Read More
CAS Space of China aims to go international thumbnail

CAS Space of China aims to go international

HELSINKI — Commercial launch provider CAS Space is looking to enter international markets to secure its long-term growth. CAS Space, a commercial spinoff from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), has established itself with its Kinetica-1 (Lijian-1) solid rocket, which has launched four times, including a 2022 debut flight, all successfully. Its main customer is
Read More
A sharper look at the first image of a M87 black hole thumbnail

A sharper look at the first image of a M87 black hole

A team of researchers, including an astronomer with NSF’s NOIRLab, has developed a new machine-learning technique to enhance the fidelity and sharpness of radio interferometry images. To demonstrate the power of their new approach, which is called PRIMO, the team created a new, high-fidelity version of the iconic Event Horizon Telescope’s image of the supermassive
Read More
Index Of News