In this article, we will explore new, innovative and exciting building materials that aid architects in a variety of ways. Without further ado:
1. Foamed Aluminum
Aluminum foam is a material made of aluminum which is also populated by a large volume of pores and cavities. It is lightweight and emulates the high strength, durability and resilience of aluminum while possessing high thermal conductivity and heat capacity. It was used in the Gallery of Fondazione PRADA, Milan.
2. Bendable Concrete
Next up, we've bendable concrete, which exhibits ductile properties unlike concrete, which is quite brittle. It is composed using the same ingredients as traditional concrete, except for the fact that it lacks coarse aggregates and contains polymer fibers for reinforcement. It is lightweight and compacting, as well as possessing the ability to bend without breaking.
3. Aerogel
Now, we turn to Aerogel. Developed by Samuel Stephens Kistler in 1931, It is one of the lightest solid materials, and yet, it is extremely strong (it's capable of bearing 1,000 times its own weight) and is a great insulator from heat.
4. Bacteria Building Block
The next material on the list is a living substance that can transform from a gooey, sand mixture, into a solid brick - the Bacteria Block. It can help build more copies of itself, absorbs greenhouse gases instead of releasing them, and requires very few resources. Seems like an extremely useful and innovative invention!
5. Hempcrete
'Hempcrete' is the popular term for a hemp-lime composite material created by wet-mixing the chopped woody stem of the hemp plant with a lime-based binder to create a material that can be cast into molds. This forms a non-load bearing, sustainable, 'breathable' (vapor permeable) and insulating material that can be used to form walls, floor slabs, ceilings and roof insulation.
6. Hydroceramic
Hydro ceramic is a new type of smart brick, which combines traditional ceramic with a hydrogel, allowing the passive cooling of the interior of a building, reducing the temperature by up to 6 degrees Celsius. It acts almost like a natural living being, reacting and learning from its ecosystem.
7. Light Emitting Cement
Light emitting cement is a green construction material designed to light up roadways without electricity. It was developed by Dr. Jose Carlos Rubio through research that was aimed at modifying the microstructure of cement so that it absorbs solar energy and emits said energy in darkness.
8. Plastic Brick
The final innovative building material in our list was developed by researchers from the National Council of Scientific and Technological Research (CONICET) in Argentina. They've found ways to turn used plastic drinking bottles into eco-friendly building brings that are as strong as conventional house brick made from sand and cement.
Hope you found the list both helpful and informative!
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