About the project
Natural or artificial, cement materials are of key importance to the society. They play a key role in every aspect of our lives, housing, buildings, transport, etc. Therefore, understanding the strength of man made and natural cement material is a problem of great relevance to the European Society, with huge implications to our environment, monuments and buildings.
NanoHeal’s focuses on the investigation of the strength of cemented aggregate materials like concrete and sedimentary rocks with the following aims:
• to develop innovative probes and models for nanoscale processes that open novel perspectives in design and control of organo-mineral materials.
• to measure and improve the strength and durability of 1) new man-made cemented materials like “green concrete”, speciality cements in construction and oil and gas recovery, and biocompatible implants and 2) natural sedimentary rocks inside reservoirs and as construction materials
• to educate young interdisciplinary researchers at the intersectoral interface between fundamental science and European industry.
Outcomes
The main results achieved so far that are detailed above are all progress beyond the state of art. Thirteen papers in high ranking peer reviewed journals have already been published and all the other results are being prepared for similar publication. The high quality training through the NanoHeal school and the research work performed will give the 15 ESRs exceptional skills and will form them as tomorrows research leaders in Europe. The results so far are important steps towards understanding nanoscale processes that open novel perspectives in design and control of organo-mineral materials. When a carbon tax one day is enforced, European cement industry and oil companies will use the knowledge developed by NanoHeal in designing new low carbon cements and to store CO2 in carbonate reservoirs.
Financing
EU Horizon 2020 MSCA-ITN-2014-ETN: Maria Skłodowska- Curie Innovative Training Networks
Cooperation
UNIVERSITETET I OSLO
KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET
IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE
UNIVERSITE LYON 1 CLAUDE BERNARD
FRIEDRICH-ALEXANDER-UNIVERSITAT ERLANGEN NURNBERG
TECHNION ISRAEL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE OFSTAVANGER AS (IRIS )
Chemiplastica
Dynea
Lafarge Central Research
National Nuclear Laboratory
Total E&P Research