Scientists have discovered a surprising yet valuable way to use leftover coffee grounds that are typically discarded.
Every year, 10 billion kilograms (22 billion pounds) of coffee waste is produced worldwide, as per ScienceAlert.
Unfortunately, the majority of this waste is discarded in landfills, rather than being reused or recycled.
In the research published in the Journal of Cleaner Production, Australian scientists have discovered that by adding coffee grounds that have been burnt to concrete, it could become 30 percent stronger.
RMIT University engineer Rajeev Roychand issued a statement in which he explained, "The disposal of organic waste poses an environmental challenge as it emits large amounts of greenhouse gases including methane and carbon dioxide, which contribute to climate change.”
As the construction industry expands around the world, there is a growing need for concrete and at the same time, the increasing demand for concrete is leading to more environmental challenges.
It is suggested that coffee grounds can’t be added to concrete directly because they release chemicals that reduce its strength.
To overcome this, the research team heated the coffee waste to over 350C in an oxygen-limited environment, a process called pyrolyzing that makes the coffee waste more suitable for use in concrete without weakening it.
This process breaks down the organic material into biochar, a charcoal-like substance that is rich in carbon, which then bond with the cement.
The researchers warned that they still need to check how durable their coffee-infused cement is over time.
They are currently testing how the cement mixture holds up against various conditions like freezing and thawing, water absorption, etc.
