Nanotechnology in

Building and Construction

Dr. Joannie W. Chin
 30,000 ft view

Why
nanotechnology Technical barriers
in building and
construction?

Emerging
nanotechologies
OPPORTUNITIES in building and
construction
 Nanostructured Materials
• Gaining control of
materials at the
nanoscale brings different
laws of physics into play.

• Traditional materials
show radically enhanced
properties when
engineered at the
nanoscale.
 Material Needs in
Building and Construction
• Deterioration of the nation’s
infrastructure:

– Cost of repairs is estimated to

exceed $2 trillion (NRC, ASCE).
– Housing is plagued with poor
material quality and excessive
fire losses that have led to
premature failure and annual repair costs exceeding
$60 billion.

• Nanotechnology offers tremendous

potential for improving building materials.
“The construction industry was the only industry to
identify nanotechnology as a promising emerging
technology in the UK Delphi Survey in the early 1990s…
However, construction has lagged behind other
industrial sectors, such as automotive, chemicals,
electronics and biotech sectors, where nanotechnology
R&D has attracted significant interest and investment
from large industrial corporations and venture
capitalists.”
 
“Application of Nanotechnology in Construction”, Materials and
Structures, 37, 649 (2004).
Nanomaterials in Construction
• Strong industry interest in use of
nanostructured materials to improve
service life and flammability performance
of building materials

• Lack of measurement science capability to

predict service life and flammability
performance of nanostructured materials.

• Measurement science research is critical to

enable U.S. construction industry to
innovate and respond to global competition
and new environmental regulations
Cement and Concrete
• Nano silica and clinker used to
increase densification and hence
mechanical properties and
durability of cementitious
materials.

• Service life can be doubled

through the use of nano-additive
viscosity enhancers which reduce
diffusion of harmful agents in
concrete (patent pending).

• Photocatalytic TiO2 added to

concrete to reduce carbon
Carbon Nanotubes
• Heralded as one of the “Top ten advances
in materials science” over the last 50
years, Materials Today, 2008.

• Sales of carbon nanotubes projected to

exceed $2B, >103 metric tons annually in
the next 4 - 7 years.

• Major use – electronics and composites.

• Enhanced strength, stiffness
and toughness without
added weight
• Improved durability
• Increased functionality
• Reduced flammability
Carbon Nanotubes

Probes for
microscopy and
chemical imaging
Coatings - Organic
• Projected to make up 73 % of
nanocomposites market by
2010 (Freedonia Group).

• Thin film, clear nanocomposites

for improved scratch and mar
properties.

• Antimicrobial, self-cleaning
surfaces.

• Smart coatings: Sense

 Coatings - Inorganic
Self-cleaning glass
Nano-TiO2 coated

glass

transparent TiO2
conventional self-cleaning
glass glass
Photovoltaics
• Predominant photovoltaic
material is silicon, but an
emerging technology involves
the use of dye-sensitized nano-
TiO2.

• Large surface area of nano

TiO2 greatly increases
photovoltaic efficiency.

• Also has potential for lower

material and processing costs
relative to conventional solar
cells.
Nanoadditive Fire Retardants
• Use of nanoadditive fire retardants
prompted by bans on halogenated
flame retardants enacted in many
states.

• Polymer nanocomposites filled with

clay, CNTs, etc., possess improved
flammability resistance while
Heat Flux Heat Flux
maintaining or improving mechanical
properties.

• Reduces heat release rate during fire

Poor Dispersion Good Dispersion event by formation of surface char
which insulates underlying material.
 Challenges
• Techniques for dispersing nanofillers AND
measuring degree of dispersion.
• Measurement of adhesion and interfacial
properties.
• Chemical and mechanical measurements at the
nanoscale.
• Prediction of nanocomposite properties and
service life over a wide range of length scales.
• Unknown health and environmental effects –
virgin, released material.
 Opportunities
• Concrete with 2x service life – Dale Bentz,
dale.bentz@nist.gov

• Functionalized carbon nanotubes for nanocomposites and

chemical probes – Tinh Nguyen, tinh.nguyen@Nist.gov

• Nano fire retardants – Jeff Gilman, jeffrey.gilman@Nist.gov

• General inquiries – Joannie Chin, joannie.chin@nist.gov,

301 975 6815