Conductive Lightweight Concrete for EMP Protection

Concrete has been used in construction for centuries and is a mature technology for building large structures, but the industry is conservative in embracing new technologies. Lightweight concrete structures are not currently employed for electromagnetic interference (EMI) / electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and blast protection. Creare proposes to fabricate high strength lightweight concrete by using a combination of metal fibers and carbon nanomaterials for improved mechanical strength, blast resistance and EMI/EMP shielding. Our nanomaterial manufacturing process is a highly scalable, available technology that can be produced at low cost. We have key partners in the concrete and nanomaterials industry. In Phase I, we produced samples with over 5x improvement in compressive strength and over 1000x the electrical conductivity, compared with samples without any nanomaterials or metal fibers. In Phase II of the project, we will scale up to larger sample sizes and make aerated concrete systems including multiple blocks and conductive mortar. We plan on completing strength, blast and EMI testing of these aerated concrete blocks during Phase II.