CONCRETE made with COFFEE GROUNDS... what do you think?

[AviatorTom]

Engineers at RMIT University in Australia have found a new use for coffee grounds. Rather than clog landfills, they've discovered that, when coffee grounds are used in concrete to augment the sand content, the concrete is 30% stronger.

Here's the story, from "The Guardian" ...

Full of beans: scientists use processed coffee grounds to make stronger concrete

What do you think?

[purplepoppy]

I wonder if enough coffee grounds are produced to supply the building trade. Obviously it's a nice little extra profit for coffee shops.

Putting organic material into building material isn't new, horse hair and dung were commonly used in medieval buildings and many still stand in use today.

[SaoirseS]

I don't know, it's hard for me to imagine it being stronger.

I used to put coffee grounds in the flower bed, but the plants looked horrible and stressed. They probably hadn't slept for weeks.

[Likes2drive]

Sounds like a good use but I’m surprised it’s stronger since it’s organic and will eventually degrade

[AviatorTom]

@Likes2drive Good point, but will it degrade over time? That usually requires the presence of oxygen, and that's missing inside the concrete.

[Likes2drive]

Yeah it will take longer for that if it’s sealed well

[OlderAndWiser]

Crude oil has been in the ground for at least tens of thousands of years without degrading.

[Likes2drive]

@OlderAndWiser probably millions but it’s crude oil, never seems to dry up only burn up

[OlderAndWiser]

The point is that oorganic compounds are much more inclined to degreade over time when they have a complex molecular structure. The cited article says that the coffee grounds are being reduced to a form of charcoal, which is pure carbon, so what would it degrade TO?

[Likes2drive]

@OlderAndWiser I never read that article, I didn’t think there was anything more to it but if it’s charcoal then there is nothing more to degrade at that point

[DummyThiccFeraligatr]

As a farmer, I'd rather see the grounds get composted. Still a cool idea, though.

[DummyThiccFeraligatr]

Thanks for MHO.

[rigmarole]

That's a waste of good organic fertilizer. Gather it up in piles near the green waste at landfills and let the public come scoop up what they want. I guarantee it will disappear faster than you can pile it.

[NamerOfStars]

That... doesn't make much sense. Why not use them as compost, instead of leaving them in the dump? They're organic, why wouldn't they be biodegradable? And even if they somehow weren't, how would that be stronger than concrete?

[ArrowheadSW]

There is a concrete that is made of hemp fiber and a mixture of some chemicals. It is used in concrete block walls in building structures. I'm not sure it is strong enough for retaining walls. Probably a similar thing.

[justabuddy]

Coffee grounds is biodegradable and molds. Also, you would need a ton of coffee grounds. Gettimgbthat much coffee groundsinto the mix before it molds is going to be tough.

Most high strength concrete is made from 3/4 gravel. Concrete made from sand is called flowfill, it's not as strong but fills and seals cracks and pipes. So I don't see 30 percent being that big of an increase.

I don't think that's ideal to be honest.

[BoopBoopBeep]

I go through about 1.5lbs/week of coffee. It goes in as soil amendments usually, but I think this is a great use of it.

[OfMiceandMen]

That's pretty innovative thinking. Just hope their strength tests hold over time.

[Wonderingguyy]

I feel like Starbucks will have a shortage of coffee beans if this is going to be the future for concrete.

[jennifer_bloom]

That is cool but not necessary cause you can use coffee rinds in your garden as fertilizer.

[Anonymous]

Some of these coffee shops have been doing that for a while, though that may not have been on purpose.

[loveslongnails]

If there's a cost-effective way to do it, why not?

[msc545]

Supposed to be stronger. Even if it isn't you will be able to run faster when it collapses...

[dolemite58]

the high nitrogen content would keep bugs away

[Sparkie460]

It might make the concrete smell better and keep people awake in the buildings.
I personally put my coffee grounds in my compost pile along with egg shells and other organic matter

[QuietRunner]

The Roman technology keeps getting better and better.

[Dinklex3]

Will it smell like coffee?

[AnusNdaPainus]

That’s sick🔥🤯

[exitseven]

that is a win-win.