Nominee
Abhishek Kumar Ph.D, in Material Science and Engineering from EPFL Lausanne, CEO/Founder of Nanogence, Inc.
Category
Innovative Person or Team
Description
Ernst Concrete of Georgia would like to nominate Abhishek Kumar, Ph.D. in Material Science and Engineering from EPFL Lausanne, CEO/Founder of Nanogence, Inc. Charles Lambert Director of Technical Services for Ernst Concrete has been working with Nanogence for the past two years on their smart catalyst products. Allowing for up to 20% reduction in Cement/Cementitious material in concrete mix designs. Starting in the laboratory with 4000psi as the control mix and then reduction of cement by 20%. Moving to field testing in two nine yard loads of the same 4000psi mix design of 592 lbs. reduction of cement by 20% to 472 lbs. Cylinders at 28 days on the first mix with 5% air made an average of 4000psi concrete and the second nine yards with 1% air made an average of 5000psi strengths. Ernst concrete continues to work together with Nanogence smart catalysts to further decarbonize and make greener concrete. Go with the green!
Evidence
Ernst Concrete of Georgia has been working with Nanogence for the past two years on getting the right chemical design for Georgia materials. Started in the lab with a control mix of 592 lbs. cement to make 4000psi concrete. Then with 20% reduction in cement/cementitious materials to see if we could make 4000psi concrete with 472 lbs. Through several stages of testing to get the slump down and air content under control we were ready for testing in a mixer truck. Ernst poured two 9 yard slabs with Martin Concrete, as the finishing company. The mix design when placed showed no bleed water on the surface with standard set times for a 4000psi mix. Ernst has now signed an agreement with Nanogence to manufacture there product in Georgia and start suppling their admixture to our Kennesaw plant for further testing on a larger scale. This will be the first location in America for an office and manufacture facility for Nanogence.
4000psi Cores with 5% air average 4270 psi.
4000psi Cores with 1% air average 5350 psi.
Nanogence products are customized smart catalysts that enhances the binding efficiency of cementitious and inorganic binder systems. During the hydration process, it effectively activates the right chemical speciation to combine together to selectively form elevated amount of higher density connecting crystals that are responsible for binding all aggregates together giving the final strength and durability. The formation of the right crystal and their quantity is the key to getting ultra high performance on strength.
For each cement type or concrete or any other inorganic binder the chemical system varies and hence a customised formulation of catalyst is needed. We have over 70 different formulation in our arsenal to cater to almost all commercially available chemical system worldwide. Thanks to our patented technology and fomulations, we have detemined the chemistry happening right at the nanolevel and found the crucial mechanism that influence the properties of the materials.
From shifting weather patterns that threaten food production, to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale. One major cause of climate change is attributed to the aggressive emission of human-made greenhouse gases such as Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere with the growing urbanization. The increase in the greenhouse gases have resulted in the increase in the surface temperature of our planet leading to catastrophic disaster in every continent.
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