Overview
Thesis Title: The Development and Manufacture of Mini Vascular Networks to Provide Biomimetic Multi Scale Damage Immunity for Construction Materials
- Part of the EPSRC funded Resilient Materials for Life (RM4L) initiative
- Primary Supervisor: Dr. Diane Gardner (Department of Engineering)
- Secondary Supervisor: Professor Tony Jefferson (Department of Engineering)
- Tertiary Supervisor: Dr. Allison Paul (Department of Chemistry)
Current Goals of Project
- To build on prior work with 3D printed tetrahedral units for concrete reinforcement
- To investigate the formation of mini vascular networks (MVNs) using 3D tetrahedral units of hollow ligaments
- To synthesize a novel system of reinforcement and delivery with a novel autonomic healing agent
- To develop a novel polymeric autonomic healing system incorporating a means of auto-foaming the polymer
- To develop a novel polymeric autonomic healing system capable of single component curing, or else superior in situ mixing to traditional two-part epoxies delivered by MVNs
- To collaborate with the Department of Chemistry to develop silaceous nanoparticles for functionalising the mortar matrix to trigger foaming action in polymeric healing agents
- To collaborate with the Department of Chemistry to develop silaceous nanoparticles for functionalising the mortar matrix to trigger curing of polymeric healing agents
- To develop a method of quantifying the sealing potential of polymer agents reacting with a mortar matrix functionalised with modified silaceous nanoparticles
Research
Research interests
Background
- Masters degree in Chemistry from the University of Liverpool
- Current PhD student in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cardiff
Research Interests
- Nanotechnology
- Polymer Chemistry
- Self-Healing Materials
Current Work
I am currently in the second year of my PhD at the University of Cardiff, working to utilize my background in nanotechnology and polymer chemistry to help advance self-healing materials for construction applications as part of the EPSRC funded RM4L initiative. My work is based in the Department of Engineering and involves collaboration with the Department of Chemistry.
Current Goals of Project
- To build on prior work with 3D printed tetrahedral units for concrete reinforcement
- To investigate the formation of mini vascular networks (MVNs) using 3D tetrahedral units of hollow ligaments
- To synthesize a novel system of reinforcement and delivery with a novel autonomic healing agent
- To develop a novel polymeric autonomic healing system incorporating a means of auto-foaming the polymer
- To develop a novel polymeric autonomic healing system capable of single component curing, or else superior in situ mixing to traditional two-part epoxies delivered by MVNs
- To collaborate with the Department of Chemistry to develop silaceous nanoparticles for functionalising the mortar matrix to trigger foaming action in polymeric healing agents
- To collaborate with the Department of Chemistry to develop silaceous nanoparticles for functionalising the mortar matrix to trigger curing of polymeric healing agents
- To develop a method of quantifying the sealing potential of polymer agents reacting with a mortar matrix functionalised with modified silaceous nanoparticles
Thesis
The Development and Manufacture of Mini Vascular Networks to Provide Biomimetic Multi Scale Damage Immunity for Construction Materials
Funding source
EPSRC
Publications
2019
- De Nardi, C., Gardner, D., Jefferson, A., Selverajoo, T. and Evans, G. 2019. The development of mini-vascular networks for self-healing
concrete. Presented at: Conference on Durable Concrete for Infrastructure under Severe Conditions, Ghent, 10 - 11 September 2019Proceedings of LORCENIS Conference: Durable Concrete for Infrastructure under Severe Conditions : Smart Admixtures, self-responsiveness and nano-additions. Ghent: Magnel Laboratory for Concrete Research pp. 19-23.