Smart Paint for Structural Safety

A low-cost "smart paint" consisting of recycled semiconducting materials and carbon nanotubes could provide detection of microstructural faults and permit continuous and wireless monitoring of structures such as bridges, mines or wind turbines.

E-Waste Recycled for Stronger Asphalt

Researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University have developed a technique for recycling electronic waste ("e-waste") from discarded electronic devices to use in making stronger paving material.

E-waste presents an environmental and health problem due to toxic metals such as mercury or lead present in printed circuit boards from discarded cell phones, computers and other electronic devices. The researchers developed a method for quickly separating these toxic metals from circuit boards, which are then ground into a fine metal-free powder.

The glass fibers and plastic resins inherent in the circuit boards make the ideal modifier for developing super-durable asphalt. In laboratory tests, the additive provides a substructure for the new asphalt mixture, called non-metal-modified asphalt (NMA), that makes it stronger and less likely to soften at high temperatures.

These results were published in a recent edition of Environmental Science & Technology.

Source: ScienceDaily