New Delhi, March 12 (IANS). Indian students and researchers have developed a special type of cement mortar to ensure that there is no risk of nuclear radiation from nuclear power plants under any circumstances.
This is a special cement mortar developed by Indian researchers, which will not only give iron-like strength to the construction, but will also be capable of preventing deadly nuclear radiation.
Researchers from the Civil Engineering Department of IIT Guwahati have converted cement into a ‘super mortar’ by adding four special types of micro particles to it. Taking lessons from major nuclear disasters like Chernobyl and Fukushima, the main focus of scientists was to build walls that would prevent radiation leakage even in extreme situations like earthquakes or explosions.
IIT researchers have greatly improved the cement mix by using these four important particles. Boron oxide was added to it which increased the protection from radiation manifold. By adding lead oxide, this mortar became very dense and strong. Tungsten oxide has also been included in it. This increased the ability to prevent cracks and helped prevent multiple types of radiation simultaneously.
At the same time, the bismuth oxide included in it was also found to be effective as a radiation inhibitor. On this research, Prof. of IIT Guwahati. Hrishikesh Sharma says, “Our goal is to create next generation materials that can withstand extreme heat and radiation.” It is noteworthy that this research has been published in the prestigious journal Materials and Structures. Along with Dr. Hrishikesh Sharma and his student Sanchit Saxena, Dr. Suman Kumar of CSIR-Roorkee also has an important contribution in this.
Now scientists are preparing to test this mortar with concrete on a large scale. In the coming time, it can be used to make nuclear reactors, small modular reactors and X-ray and cancer therapy rooms of hospitals safe. The team is now planning to get it off the ground in collaboration with nuclear energy agencies and big construction companies.
IIT says that this cement mortar used in construction work is capable of preventing the danger of nuclear radiation. The main objective of this research is to make nuclear plants radiation-safe. Researchers have found that concrete made with this advanced mortar is able to reduce the risk of radiation leakage.
This improves overall safety in locations such as nuclear reactors and other radiation-sensitive facilities. This could help create more reliable protective walls and structures in areas where radiation exposure needs to be controlled. As the world moves towards expanding nuclear energy to meet growing electricity demand and climate commitments, the safety and sustainability of nuclear infrastructure becomes even more important.
To address this challenge, the research team at IIT Guwahati has modified cement mortar by adding four types of micro particles to it. Talking about the next steps of the research, Professor Sharma further said, “We are now working on expanding the developed cement mortar into full concrete mix design.
There are plans to test reinforced concrete elements incorporating the developed mortar at the structural level. “We are also working on optimizing the amount of fine particles to achieve the ideal balance between mechanical strength, workability, durability and radiation shielding performance of the developed cement mortar.”
–IANS
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