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Chemically Active Glasses for Steel enamels

Detailed Technology Description

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*Abstract

Steel-reinforced concrete structures are used worldwide for civilian and military infrastructural needs. Recently, researchers with the Army Corp of Engineers developed a means to increase the bond-strength between steel reinforcing elements and the concrete matrix. A composite enamel, consisting of a glass matrix embedded with reactive ceramic particles, is applied to the steel before it is embedded in the concrete. The glass provides a strong bond to the steel and the reactive ceramic particles form a strong bond to the concrete. Mechanical tests done by the Corps and at Missouri S&T show that after the concrete sets, the bond strength of the enameled steel is 2-3 times greater than that of enamel-free steel. Glass compositions used by the Corps and those developed at Missouri S&T (see patent disclosure 09mst007) were designed to withstand attack by the corrosive alkaline environment associated with the curing cement. When damaged, enamels based on these alkali resistant glasses, offered limited protection to the exposed steel. This current invention disclosure describes new chemically-active glass compositions developed to provide enhanced corrosion-protection to the steel used for reinforcing concrete structures, while still providing the necessary characteristics (e.g., thermal properties like coefficient of thermal expansion and softening temperature) for use with the composite enamels to enhance the steel-concrete bond strengths. Specifically, the glass is designed to release phosphate anions when exposed to the corrosive alkaline cement environment, and these anions react at the exposed surfaces of steel to form a barrier against corrosion.

*Principal Investigator

Name: Richard Brow, Curator's Professor of Ceramic Engineering

Department:

Name: Signo Reis

Department:

Name: Genda Chen

Department:

Name: Mike Koenigstein

Department:

Country/Region

USA