NRF Basic Research Laboratory (Pioneer) Development of Carbon-Sequestering Concrete Using Biochar-Based Graphene and Its Application in Structural Components
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Research

From biochar to self-sensing concrete

Three research teams organized around new-material development, application, and analysis connect biochar-graphene synthesis, conductive concrete, structural-member application, and self-sensing with finite-element analysis into one continuous flow.

Required performance

Three required-performance axes

  1. 01 Eco-Friendly

    Carbon sequestration

    Efficient biochar-graphene production, maximized carbon sequestration, and conductivity evaluation.

  2. 02 High Performance

    Conductivity and self-sensing

    Damage detection developed and evaluated by imparting conductivity and establishing self-sensing technology.

  3. 03 Sustainability

    Continuous structural monitoring

    Real-time damage detection and maintenance through structural performance and conductive-sensor monitoring.

Research teams

Three research teams and their objectives

  1. Team 1 Won-Chang Choi and Chan Ho Park (early-career)

    Biochar-graphene composites for carbon-sequestering cement composites, with materials performance evaluation

    Biochar is converted into graphene-based new materials to synthesize cement composites with high conductivity and high carbon content. The composites are characterized, and their mechanical performance, durability, and economy are evaluated.

    Objectives

    • Biochar-graphene core-shell synthesis: graphitization (600-1100 C, laser, plasma) and catalytic processing (FeCl3, ionic liquids, graphene oxide)
    • High-performance cement composites via particle surface modification and hydrophobic polymer binders
    • Composition analysis (SEM, SEM-EDX, PSD) and structural analysis (XRD, FT-IR)
    • Mechanical performance: compressive and flexural strength
    • Durability: drying shrinkage and cracking, freeze-thaw, carbonation, chloride resistance
    • Scale-up process optimization and life-cycle environmental-economic analysis (LCA)
    • Biochar-graphene
    • Graphitization
    • Cement composite
    • Durability
    • LCA
  2. Team 2 Won-Chang Choi and Seung-Wook Seok (early-career)

    Self-sensing performance of conductive carbon-sequestering concrete and its application

    Conductive cement-composite sensors are developed, and changes in electrical resistance under strain and damage are analyzed. A finite-element material model based on concrete damaged plasticity quantifies the sensing performance.

    Objectives

    • Optimal sensor mix design and sensing performance via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)
    • Electrical resistance under strain sensing and moisture content
    • Materials performance under multiaxial loading (uniaxial, biaxial, triaxial compression, direct and split tension)
    • Finite-element material model for carbon-sequestering concrete based on concrete damaged plasticity (CDP), with validation
    • Damage quantification through embedded and surface-mounted sensors, with correlation established
    • Self-sensing
    • EIS
    • Concrete damaged plasticity
    • Finite element
    • Damage detection
  3. Team 3 Soo-Yeon Seo and Seung-Wook Seok (early-career)

    Application of conductive carbon-sequestering concrete to structural members, with analysis methods

    Carbon-sequestering concrete is applied to RC members for structural performance evaluation, with long-term behavior and multi-sensing monitoring. The rebar-concrete interface is modeled to develop a finite-element analysis method for RC members.

    Objectives

    • Rebar development performance and pull-out behavior under confinement conditions
    • Flexural and shear strength of RC members, with evaluation of design-equation applicability
    • RC member behavior monitoring through multi-sensing with acoustic emission (AE)
    • Modeling methods for rebar and the rebar-concrete interface
    • Finite-element analysis method to reproduce the long-term behavior of RC members
    • RC member
    • Rebar anchorage
    • Acoustic emission
    • Interface modeling
    • Long-term behavior

Process overview

From biochar to cement composite

Process from biochar modification to cement-composite fabrication
From biochar modification to cement-composite fabrication

In the lab

Process and testing

  • SEM image of CNT grown on the biochar surface
    SEM image of CNT grown on the biochar surface
  • Instrumented cement-composite specimens under testing
    Instrumented cement-composite specimens under testing
  • Electrical-resistance (conductivity) measurement of a specimen
    Electrical-resistance (conductivity) measurement of a specimen

Annual plan

Three-year roadmap

  1. Year 1 Biochar-graphene cement composite development; cement-composite sensor development; structural performance of commercial-biochar RC members.
  2. Year 2 Conductive-composite durability and performance; improved self/electrical conductivity; RC member performance and rebar-anchorage finite-element model.
  3. Year 3 Carbon-sequestering RC member structural performance and material model; long-term-sensing-based maintenance and analysis model.

Keywords

Research keywords

  • Biochar
  • Carbon sequestration
  • Cement composite
  • Graphene
  • Self-sensing
  • Conductive performance
  • Finite element analysis
  • RC member