Cement grows stronger, more resilient with Purdue cellulose innovation

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Jeffrey Youngblood, a Purdue University researcher, has increased the strength and resilience of cement by integrating patent-pending chemically modified cellulose nanocrystals and nanofibers that he has developed.

Mechanical tests show a 30% increase in concrete’s flexural strength, or the ability to resist bending when an external force is applied, when 0.2% volume of the nanocellulose is integrated.

Youngblood is a professor and graduate chair in the School of Materials Engineering and an affiliate of the Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, a stand-alone academic unit in the College of Engineering.

Youngblood and his team found that by increasing the heat of hydration, the chemically modified nanocellulose reacted to improve the behavior of cement paste in a variety of chemical reactions.

“This results in a greater potential to alter microcracking of cement and bolster the mechanical properties for better performance,” he said. “We validated this through isothermal calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis.”

Youngblood disclosed the use of the chemically modified cellulose to the Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization, which has applied for a patent to protect the intellectual property. Industry partners interested in developing or commercializing the innovation should contact Dipak Narula, lead technology development liaison and assistant director of business development and licensing — physical sciences, at dnarula@prf.org about track code 70131.

Applications and next development steps

The applications for the Purdue innovation include road, bridge and building construction.

“It supports the widespread effort to divert from traditional, unsustainable engineering practices and instead opt for materials with a minimal carbon footprint,” Youngblood said. “The chemically modified nanocellulose offers a naturally sourced solution to make cement more eco-friendly and reduces the volume and demand of raw materials.”

Youngblood said more research will be conducted into the best surface treatments, ratios, types of cement, supplementary cementitious materials and additives.

Youngblood received funding for his research from P3Nano, a partnership between the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities and the U.S. Forest Service.

About Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization

The Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S. Services provided by this office support the economic development initiatives of Purdue University and benefit the university’s academic activities through commercializing, licensing and protecting Purdue intellectual property. In fiscal year 2024, the office reported 145 deals finalized with 224 technologies signed, 466 invention disclosures received, and 290 U.S. and international patents received. The office is managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University. Contact otcip@prf.org for more information.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.