IIT Guwahati develops radiation-resistant cement mortar for safer nuclear facilities

GUWAHATI: To make nuclear facilities radiation-safe, researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati have developed a method to make cement mortar stronger, more durable, and better at blocking harmful radiation.

The approach focuses on improving the material properties of the mortar so that it can perform both as a structural component and as a radiation-shielding barrier. By modifying the composition of the mortar, the researchers aimed to enhance its density and durability, which are important factors in limiting the penetration of radiation.

Researchers have found that concrete made using this enhanced mortar is capable of reducing the risk of radiation leakage, thus improving the overall safety in locations such as nuclear reactors and other radiation-sensitive facilities. This could help create more reliable protective walls and structures in areas where radiation exposure needs to be strictly controlled.

The development may also support long-term safety in such facilities by providing materials that can maintain their shielding performance over extended periods of use.

Nuclear disasters such as the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 and the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011 have shown that safety from radiation remains the utmost priority in nuclear energy systems. This depends on the strength of the materials used to build the power plant.

Nuclear containment structures act as the protective barrier, designed to prevent radiation leaks during extreme events such as earthquakes, explosions, or sharp temperature changes.

Cement mortar is a key ingredient in these structures. Therefore, improving the strength and radiation shielding of cement-based materials is essential to building a radiation-resilient nuclear facility.

As the world moves toward expanding nuclear energy to meet rising electricity demands and climate commitments, the safety and durability of nuclear infrastructure become even more critical.

To address this challenge, the IIT Guwahati research team modified the cement mortar by combining it with four types of microparticles. These include Boron oxide, Lead oxide, Bismuth oxide, and Tungsten oxide.

The research team added these microparticles in small amounts to test their effect on the cement mortar’s compressive strength after 28 days. The team also tested each microparticle’s ability to block mixed radiation fields containing gamma rays and neutrons. The researchers found that each microplastic affected the mortar differently.

Speaking about the findings of the research, Prof Hrishikesh Sharma, Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Guwahati, said, “The safety of nuclear infrastructure critically depends on the performance of containment materials under extreme mechanical and radiation environments. Through this research, we have demonstrated that carefully engineered microparticle-modified cement mortar can significantly enhance both structural integrity and radiation shielding capacity. Our final goal is to develop next-generation cement-based materials that not only withstand harsh service conditions but also provide reliable protection against mixed radiation fields.”

The findings of this study offer a roadmap to develop a new class of cement-based materials suited for nuclear power plants, small modular reactors, and medical radiation facilities.

By improving concrete’s resistance to heat, structural loads, and radiation, this developed cement-mortar supports the creation of safer and more resilient facilities.

The findings of this research have been published in the prestigious journal, Materials and Structures, in a paper co-authored by Dr Hrishikesh Sharma, Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, along with his research scholar, Sanchit Saxena, from IIT Guwahati, in collaboration with Dr Suman Kumar, Heritage and Special Structures Department, CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee.

Speaking about the next steps in the research, Prof. Sharma added, “We are now planning to scale up the developed cement mortar to a full concrete mix design and conduct structural-level testing of reinforced concrete elements incorporating the developed mortar. We are also working on optimising the microparticle dosage to achieve an ideal balance between mechanical strength, workability, durability, and radiation shielding performance of the developed cement mortar”.

To explore the real-world testing and validation of the developed technology, the research team is looking for collaborations with nuclear energy agencies, construction material manufacturers, and infrastructure companies involved in nuclear facility development.

Discussions are under way to test the developed cement mortar under simulated field conditions and pilot-scale applications. (ANI)