An Italian company has begun marketing a cement that is capable of absorbing pollution from vehicles.
Italcementi, which spent 10 years developing its TX Active, said the building material is capable of reducing urban pollution by more than 40 percent, the Italian news agency ANSA reported Tuesday.
Tests on a road near Milan showed TX Active cut the level of nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide by as much as 65 percent.
It functions via a chemical process called photocatalysis, whereby sunlight triggers a chemical reaction when titanium dioxide on the surface of the cement comes into contact with pollutants in the air. TX Active works most effectively in bright sunlight.
Italcementi said test results have been verified by independent bodies like the National Research Council.
TX Active cement has already been used on a number of buildings, including Air France's new headquarters at Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport, Rome's Dives in Misericordia church and Bordeaux's Hotel de Police.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
Related stories:
Novel experiments on cement yield concrete results
Using a brace of the most modern tools of materials research, a team from the National Institute of Standards and Technology and Northwestern University has shed new light on one of mankind’s older construction materials—cement.
More Evidence Found for Water on Mars
A spacecraft recently arrived at Mars has provided new evidence that fluids, likely including water, once flowed widely through underlying bedrock in a canyon that is part of the great Martian rift valley.
Candy-coating keeps proteins sweet
Sugar-frosting isn’t just for livening up boring bran flakes; it can also preserve important therapeutic proteins. Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology have developed a fast, inexpensive and effective method for evaluating the sugars pharmaceutical companies use to stabilize protein-drugs for storage at room temperature. The group presented their findings at the 236th American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition.
Soil scientist's fascination with mineral yields plan for battling it
(PhysOrg.com) -- Under the microscope, its crystals gleam like tiny gems. But when the phosphate mineral struvite starts clinging to the insides of sewage treatment plants, it tends to lose its charm. Fed by the copious phosphorus in wastewater, struvite crystals form in the billions and amass in huge, cement-like chunks, clogging pipes and valves and blocking water flow.
Brunel cement find is world first
Archaeologists working on a site in the Bristol Docks have discovered what is thought to be the first ever substantial use of Portland cement in the construction of a major building. The building was designed in 1839 by the great Victorian engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, to house the machinery to fabricate the world’s first screw-propelled iron ship, the ss Great Britain.
Coal gasification -- myths, challenges and opportunities
There is a growing consensus that increased demand for electricity will cement coal’s place in the energy portfolio for years to come. In fact, more than half of the electricity produced in the United States comes from coal. With demand for electricity expected to double by 2050 and renewable resources still years away from offsetting increased demand, it is clear -- coal is here to stay.
Bad to the bone: new research to shed light on osteoporosis
Ten million people in the United States are estimated to already have bone diseases, and almost 34 million more are estimated to have low bone mass, putting them at increased risk for osteoporosis, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Engineers developing new cements to heal spinal fractures
New research could offer hope for victims of the most devastating spinal injuries - typically those caused in car crashes.