Development of a composite coating utilizing indigenous industrial waste materials for application on steel and concrete

The recent developments in nanotechnology, a multidisciplinary approach in understanding and manipulating matter at the atomic and molecular level has gained rapid attraction from a range of industries, such as electrochemical, water treatment, energy storage, solar applications, drug delivery, and coating. Among several nanomaterials, the carbon-based ones exhibit unique properties with excellent mechanical, thermal, electrical, chemical and biological properties. Consequently, it has been widely used in various applications. Graphene, graphene oxide, graphene nanoplatelets, fullerene, carbon nanotubes (single-, and double-walled), carbon microspheres, etc., are among the most recent developments that are the finest forms of carbon molecules with each having distinct chemical and physical properties. They are ultra-thin and mechanically very tough as the bond between the carbon atoms is very strong. However, the preparation process makes them highly uneconomical and unavailable for large-scale applications. Nevertheless, the advantages of their application on concrete and metallic structures necessitates the need for developing simple and direct methods with a relatively cheaper source. There is an increasing trend towards the utilization of indigenous waste materials, such as industrial by-products in the development of nanomaterials for industrial applications. One of the plausible sources of developing economic submicron/nanocarbon is the heavy oil fly ash (HOFA). Significant quantities of HOFA are produced during the process of generation of electricity in power generation plants and some other industrial facilities in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. HOFA is a solid waste material and hence it is usually dumped in landfill or disposed in water thereby increasing the environmental pollution. Due to cheap and easily availability of HOFA in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, there is a concerted effort to develop it in to a high-value product, such as submicron/nano carbon for various applications. Since concrete durability, particularly reinforcement corrosion is a major concern in the Kingdom, development of submicron/nanocarbon coatings, for application on concrete and steel structures, utilizing HOFA will be highly beneficial. The aim of the proposed research is to develop a new composite coating for application on concrete and steel using developed utilizing HOFA. The work in the proposed research involves: (i) synthesis of submicron/nanocarbon utilizing HOFA, (ii) characterization of the synthesized submicron/nanocarbon, (iii) development of composite coating using the synthesized carbon, and (iv) assessing the performance of the developed coating for applications on concrete and steel structures. The performance of the developed coating will be compared with that of the conventional coatings. The economic and environmental benefits of the developed coating will also be assessed. The proposed study will be conducted over a period of 24 months at a cost of SAR 195,320.