Surface Modification Approaches to Turn Waste Plastics into Beneficial Additive for Concrete
This project directly addresses the United States Department of Transportation (DOT)’s research priority of “Preserving the Environment” by developing novel approaches to turning waste plastics into a beneficial additive for concrete, leading to effective mitigation strategies to address the potential pollution in water and soil caused by waste plastic. Outputs: By increasing the value of plastics and advancing its application in concrete, this project will likely produce patentable technology. The project will also produce publications, presentations, and technical reports that produce improved understanding of how to enhance the compatibility of waste plastics with concrete by employing novel modification methods and assessing their impact on the engineering properties and durability performance of the concrete. The project will leverage chemical surface functionalization using coupling agents, as well as enzymatic surface treatment using bacteria and fungi, to enhance the adhesion bonding between waste plastic and concrete. The modified additive will be dispersed to evaluate its effect on the functional properties of the concrete. Outcomes/Impacts: This project will produce actionable knowledge and mix designs to enable value-added application of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste in concrete by state departments of transportation (DOTs) and other concrete producers or owner agencies. This can not only mitigate health and environmental risks associated with plastic pollution but also reduce the demand for fine and coarse aggregates. Importantly, the treated waste plastics can serve as a reinforcing additive to improve the mechanical properties of concrete. This endeavor directly addresses the imperative for footprint reduction within the concrete industry and concerns regarding emerging contaminants associated with landfilled plastics, such as nano- and micro-plastics. Furthermore, it exemplifies the transformation of "waste" into valuable products, laying the groundwork for long-term benefits in workforce training, education, and economic development within the recycling and construction sectors. By repurposing by-products from one process into raw materials for another, this project embodies the essence of industrial symbiosis.
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Active
- Funding: $90000
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Contract Numbers:
69A3552348335
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Sponsor Organizations:
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
University Transportation Centers Program
Department of Transportation
Washington, DC United States 20590 -
Managing Organizations:
Environmentally Responsible Transportation Center for Communities of Concern
University of Missouri Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri United States 64110 -
Project Managers:
Kline, Robin
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Performing Organizations:
Washington State University, Pullman
Civil & Environmental Engineering Department
PO Box 642910
Pullman, WA United States 99164-2910 1320 S. Dixie Highway
Ste. 650
Coral Gables, FL United States 33146 -
Principal Investigators:
He, Jialuo
- Start Date: 20240601
- Expected Completion Date: 20250531
- Actual Completion Date: 0
- USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Admixtures; Concrete; Mechanical properties; Plastics; Solid wastes
- Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Materials;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01935895
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: Environmentally Responsible Transportation Center for Communities of Concern
- Contract Numbers: 69A3552348335
- Files: UTC, RIP
- Created Date: Nov 4 2024 4:07PM