Scientists at Rice University have published research which proposes repurposing waste tires in the production of concrete. By converting waste from rubber tires into graphene, the researchers believe the new composite can be used to strengthen concrete, and thus reduce the thickness of concrete needed in the construction of buildings.

“Concrete is the most produced material in the world, and simply making it produces as much as 9% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions,” says Rice University chemist James Tour. “If we can use less concrete in our roads, buildings, and bridges, we can eliminate some of the emissions at the very start.”

Of the 800 million tires discarded every year, approximately 16% are discarded in landfills; the remaining majority being burned for fuel. As Tours argues, “reclaiming even a fraction of those as graphene will keep millions of tires from reaching landfills.” While recycled tire waste is already used as a component of Portland cement, converting the tires into graphene has been proven to strengthen cement materials at a molecular level.

Rice University’s latest advances center on a “flash” process which exposes carbon sources, such as shredded rubber tires, to a jolt of electricity which removes everything except carbon atoms. The atoms reassemble into a high-strength form of graphene suitable for use in composite materials such as concrete. Rice’s studies found that adding graphene derived from rubber tires to Portland cement could increase the strength of the resulting concrete by 30%.

The research at Rice University joins a series of recent innovations in the development of concrete. In June, Worcester Polytechnic Institute developed a new method for producing concrete with self-healing capabilities to strengthen the durability of concrete structures. In May, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden published research into the use of cement-based batteries to turn concrete buildings into giant energy stores. Meanwhile, Snøhetta has recently announced details of their partnership with Norwegian startup Saferock to develop net-zero concrete for the future of construction.

Notable real-world advances in 3D-printed concrete have also occurred recently. Last week, we reported on the construction of the world’s first 3D-printed concrete footbridge, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects and Block Research Group. Also in July, Airbnb unveiled the world’s first 3D-printed concrete rental home available for booking on their platform. Such advances in the composition and use of concrete come as a new study warns that concrete construction is feeding a global sand crisis.