Scientists have developed new cement that illuminates roads through solar power. This light emitting cement that could last for 100 years can illuminate roads, highways or bicycle lanes at night by absorbing solar energy during the day.
“Nine years ago, when I started the project, I realized there was nothing similar worldwide, and so I started to work on it. The main issue was that cement is an opaque body that doesn’t allow the pass of light to its interior,” said Jose Carlos Rubio, from Michoacan’s University of San Nicolas Hidalgo (UMSNH) in Mexico.
Rubio explained that common cement is a dust that when added to water dissolves like an effervescent pill. In that moment it starts to become a gel, similar to the one used for hair styling, but much stronger and resistant; at the same time, some crystal flakes are formed, these are unwanted sub-products in hardened cement.
Because of this, the researcher focused on modifying the microstructure of the cement in order to eliminate crystals and make it completely gel, helping it to absorb solar energy and then return it to the environment as light.
Rubio detailed that, by the morning, the buildings, roads, highways or structures that are made out of this new cement can absorb solar energy and emit it during the night for around 12 hours.
Rubio also said that most fluorescent materials are made out of plastic and have an average of 3 years of life span because they decay with UV rays; however, this new cement is sun resistant and has an estimated lifespan of 100 years.
Furthermore, it is ecological because it’s made out of the sand, dust or clay that becomes the gel, and during it’s making the only residue is water steam. The cement currently exists in blue or green color, and the light intensity can be regulated to avoid dazzling drivers or cyclist, or unnecessary glare.
Currently, this research is in its transfer and commercialization stage, its inclusion in plaster and other construction products is also being developed.