TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Multi-component, Encapsulated Concrete Mortars

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Contract Opportunity

Opportunity:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaboration to further develop its multi-component, encapsulated concrete mortars.

Background:

Current technology for repairing concrete structures requires either replacement of aged concrete-which can be tedious, expensive, and logistically onerous or one-time sealing of defects (e.g., grout injection or healing spray) that do not provide long-term crack repair.

Due to rebar corrosion in reinforced concrete, modern corrosion prevention methods have issues stemming from corrosion inhibitors that require concrete cover replacement and contain toxic solvents. Migrating corrosion inhibitors (MCIs) do not require cover replacement, but have limits on their diffusion. The state-of-the-art bio-inspired approaches are promising but cannot repair both existing and newly formed deep defects in both reinforced and plain concrete with prolonged functions.

Description:

LLNL researchers are developing Concrete Assisted by Particles Sealed Under Large-scale Encapsulation (CAPSULE) to provide a solution that utilizes different biological and engineering approaches to repair aging concrete. It uses an innovative method to

1. self-heal existing and new cracks in damaged concrete structures down to meters in depth


2. effectively transports biological and sensing agents under various concrete environmental conditions


3. prevent further damage of concrete structures with steel-corrosion prevention, extending the structure lifetime and reducing the cost and logistics of repairs.

CAPSULE is a vascularizing, crack sealing cement repair agent whose capsules are composed of bio-compatible shells, enabling long-term durability for encapsulated materials (enzymes and/or fungi) that provide penetration, self-healing, and corrosion prevention upon capsule rupture by an external source (i.e., crack opening, pH changes, aircraft passes on runways).

Advantages/Benefits:

1. long-term function for vascularizing effectors


2. a novel delivery mechanism for deep vascularization


3. minimal upkeep or renewal required


4. versatile solution for both steel-reinforced and non-reinforced concrete


5. novel portable non-destructive evaluation (NDE) to monitor performance


6. tunable functionality according to the application space and the diagnostic needs

Potential Applications:

Concrete repair in airfields, civic infrastructure, military bases, oilfields

Development Status:

Current stage of technology development: TRL-1

LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information.

Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.

Note: THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT. Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's Multi-component, Encapsulated Concrete Mortars should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following:

1. Company Name and address.


2. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact.


3. A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology.

Please provide a complete electronic OR written statement to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's Multi-component, Encapsulated Concrete Mortars.

The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL’s Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below.

Written responses should be directed to:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Innovation and Partnerships Office

P.O. Box 808, L-779

Livermore, CA 94551-0808

Attention: IL-13763

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