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US 9,150,459 B1Granted
Electrokenitic corrosion treatment of concrete
AssigneeLouisiana Tech University Foundation, Inc.
InventorHenry E Cardenas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for strengthening cementitious concrete by placing a nanoparticle carrier liquid in contact with a first surface of a concrete section and inducing a current across the concrete section at sufficient magnitude and for sufficient time that nanoparticles in the nanoparticle carrier liquid migrate through a significant depth of the concrete section.
Claims20
A method of treating concrete comprising:
- a. providing a section of concrete having a depth, an initial compressive strength, and an initial pH;
- b. placing a first nanoparticle carrier fluid in contact with at least a first surface of said concrete section, said first nanoparticle carrier fluid comprising solid nanoparticles in a colloidal suspension;
- c. applying a first current at sufficient magnitude and for sufficient time to:
- i. remove at least a portion of a chlorine species present and/or raise the pH in said concrete section;
- and
- ii. move said solid nanoparticles in said first nanoparticle carrier fluid through at least one quarter of said depth of said concrete section, thereby returning the strength of said concrete section to at least said initial compressive strength;
- d. placing a second nanoparticle carrier fluid in contact with at least the first surface of said concrete section, said second nanoparticle carrier fluid comprising solid nanoparticles in a colloidal suspension, wherein said solid nanoparticles of the second nanoparticle carrier fluid are smaller in diameter than said solid nanoparticles of the first nanoparticle carrier fluid;
- and
- e. applying a second current at sufficient magnitude and for sufficient time to:
- i. remove at least a portion of a chlorine species present and/or raise the pH in said concrete section;
- and
- ii. move said solid nanoparticles in said second carrier fluid through at least one quarter of said depth of said concrete section.
9 more elements
A process for treating concrete comprising:
- a. providing a section of concrete having a depth, an initial pH, and an initial strength;
- b. applying a first stage of treatment comprising:
- i. inducing a first current across the concrete section;
- ii. applying the first current at sufficient magnitude and for sufficient time to remove at least a portion of a chlorine species present and/or raise the pH in the concrete section and electrokinetically transport a plurality of first nanoparticles through at least one quarter of the depth of the concrete section to increase the concrete section's strength;
- and
- c. then applying a second stage of treatment comprising:
- i. inducing a second current across the concrete section;
- and
- ii. applying the second current at sufficient magnitude and for sufficient time to electrokinetically transport a plurality of second nanoparticles into the concrete section, wherein the plurality of second nanoparticles are smaller in average diameter than the plurality of first nanoparticles.
6 more elements
A strength and anti-corrosion treatment process for concrete, the process comprising:
- a. providing a section of concrete having a depth, an initial pH, and an initial strength;
- and
- b. applying a current at sufficient magnitude and for sufficient time to:
- i) remove at least a portion of a chlorine species present and/or raise the pH in the concrete section;
- and ii) electrokinetically transport colloidally suspended solid nanoparticles through at least one quarter of the depth of the concrete section to increase the concrete section's strength, wherein the colloidally suspended solid nanoparticles have diameters ranging between 1 nm to 500 nm and have solid, non-deformable cores.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.