Research on the chemistry of building materials has been carried out at the department for several decades. In the past, the focus was on mineral binders and the development of formulations for concrete and mortar. In recent years, the research area has been expanded towards various activities, now including the interaction of different materials and the investigation of damage processes when materials are subjected to mechanical loading and/or thermal/chemical attack, such as observed e.g. in case of plastics, plastic binders, sealants and corrosion coatings. The continuous analysis of damage mechanisms by the working group has already resulted in a broad knowledge in this segment (see figure 1), serving as basis for future developments and research initiatives.
Figure 1: Damage analysis using electron microscopy