Coffee is Life! Researchers add Used Coffee Grounds to Concrete and Increased its Strength by 30%

Isaiah Richard, Tech Times 23 August 2023, 10:08 pm

Used coffee grounds are useful for many things even after it has given you the right push you need for the day, particularly as researchers have incorporated it in concrete production which yielded a 30 percent strength increase for the building material. The study figured out a way to make this substitute for the significant shortage in concrete additives, but it does not bind when it is normally added.

Coffee Grounds Used to Strengthen Concrete as much as 30 Percent

(Photo : 1195798 via Pixabay)

According to a press release from the RMIT University in Australia, a recent study has discovered that adding used coffee grounds to concrete will help in strengthening the material to be used for construction and more. The effects that the grounds brought delivered an additional 30 percent strength.

From shop waste to being an important factor for concrete, the researchers found a way to repurpose the used coffee grounds into additive material for concrete but first needs to undergo a process called pyrolysis. This is through turning the coffee grounds into "biochar," with researchers using a low-energy process without oxygen to burn the organic waste at 350 degrees Celsius.

Their study was published in the Journal of Cleaner Production.

Concrete Additives Substitute: Will Coffee Be Enough?

The concrete that they were able to make using the coffee grounds' biocharred form has strengthened it by as much as 30 percent, and this is only a part of what makes the concrete, as it also needs water.

Coffee grounds serve as a substitute for sand or gravel which is traditionally added, but this also proves to be a notable sustainable substitute as there are shortages of building materials lately.

As much as 10 billion kilograms of used coffee grounds get thrown out each year, and through this study, these may be repurposed as concrete additives to make more, giving a "double shot" at life.

Coffee and Concrete

For a long time, coffee has been a staple drink for the world and has proven to be versatile in terms of taste and type, with many coffee enthusiasts centering on the art of making this drink as part of their daily routine. Moreover, there have been various studies on coffee's health benefits, with one centering on helping curb body fat and reduce risks of diabetes brought by its caffeine.

On the other hand, concrete has been a significant staple in creating structures and buildings, with the original development of this material stemming from the early days. However, there have been massive complaints about how it contributes to pollution and global warming, with many focusing on making sustainable concrete that could help reduce the waste it brings to the environment.

The most recent problem with concrete was a cause of concern for researchers to solve, one that finds an alternative to the additive materials that are needed in making structures out of it. It was revealed that pyrolyzing coffee grounds, can be added to concrete and proved to be an iconic addition, as it yielded 30 percent better strength than using traditional materials.