Graphene@Manchester, in collaboration with four industry partners, has received £400,000 from Innovate UK’s decarbonising concrete fund to accelerate the commercialisation of more sustainable concrete.

Adding graphene to concrete can reduce CO₂ emissions by using less material without sacrificing strength. The consortium, led by Cemex and partnered with Galliford Try, Sika, Northumbrian Water, and Graphene@Manchester, will conduct research to develop and market more eco-friendly construction materials.

Working with partners representing the whole supply chain, application experts from Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), part of Graphene@Manchester, will share their expertise and access to cutting edge equipment to support the consortium in designing, developing, scaling, and ‘de-risking’ the next generation of innovative construction materials. Led by Dr Lisa Scullion, who manages the GEIC’s concrete application division, the team will conduct research into the formulation and testing of an integrated micronized limestone and graphene-based admixtures.

Graphene@Manchester has demonstrated through previous collaborations with industry partners that adding graphene effectively enhances the mechanical properties of concrete, reducing the amount of material needed while maintaining early age strength development.

The aim of this project is to understand the benefits of uniting graphene with micronized limestone as a supplementary cementitious material. The use of micronized limestone reduces the need for Ordinary Portland Cement, which is responsible for a significant portion of concrete’s carbon emissions. It’s fine particle size and high surface area, also contributes to improved particle packing and hydration reactions in the concrete mix, enhancing strength and durability.

Find out more: 

• £400,000 Funding for Graphene-Concrete Decarbonisation (manchester.ac.uk)