New Hydrogel-Cement Could Extend Infrastructure Lifespan

By Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc.Reviewed by Lauren HardakerSep 22 2025

In a recent study published in the journal NPJ Materials Sustainability, a team of researchers from Southeast University, in collaboration with the University of Macau, drew inspiration from nature’s biomineralization process as the team’s strategy to enhance the strength of cement.

They made cement-based composites by incorporating hydrogels via a novel rapid polymerization method and observed that the composites became tougher and thermally efficient than traditional cement pastes.

This innovation may indirectly lower emissions, extend the lifespan of infrastructure, and set a new standard in sustainable construction materials by extending service life and reducing the need for replacement.

Background

Cement-based materials are essential elements of modern-day construction, but due to their intrinsic brittleness, they are not considered a durable and sustainable option. Conventional methods, such as using polymer fibers or emulsions, have not been effective because of clumping and compatibility problems. In the last 10 years, the increasing demand for stronger, more durable, and environmentally friendly building materials has attracted considerable attention from researchers.

The team has approached a novel technique inspired by natural biomineralization processes, such as bone, pearls, and seashells, to enhance the strength of cement-based materials. This method involves two steps: rapid in-situ polymerization to develop a hydrogel network, followed by the deposition of cement hydrates onto the hydrogel. This adaptation, mimicking nature’s construction of bones or shells, aims to overcome the previous limitations and improve the mechanical properties of cement-based materials.

Current Study

The team developed its novel hydrogel-cement-based composites using a two-step process. First, the hydrogel monomers (N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) and sodium acrylate (SA)), along with a crosslinker and initiator, were mixed in deionised water before the addition of cement particles. The pre-blending process played a critical role in reducing the cement's alkaline effect, which influenced the in situ polymerization.

After the hydrogel network was formed during pre-blending, cement particles and a catalyst were added, and the mixture was cured under controlled temperature and humidity. Varying the hydrogel and cement content to assess their effect on the mechanical and thermal properties created several mixture designs.

The prepared composites were characterized using material characterization techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The composites' mechanical, thermal, and porosity properties were evaluated through compressive and flexural strength, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and simulation tools.

Results and Discussion

This method produced hydrogel-cement-based composites with a characteristic honeycomb-like structure connected by porous networks. This structure helped toughen the cement, preventing cracks from forming when exposed to stress. The mechanical analysis of the composites revealed significant enhancements in flexural strength, which increased by 13 to 158% compared to standard cement paste, and flexural toughness of the composites significantly increased to 3195%.

There was a notable improvement in compressive performance, including a 60% higher strength in some mixtures and a change from brittle to ductile deformation under large strains (10-80%). This enhancement can be attributed to the honeycomb-like pores, which prevented the cement from cracking and absorbed the fracture energy. The composites' boosted mechanical performance makes them suitable for buildings prone to seismic activities or high-impact loads.

FTIR and NMR analyses confirmed strong interfacial bonding and compatibility between the hydrogel and cement. This played a vital role at a microstructural level. The cement hydrates grew within the hydrogel template, forming a closed porous structure that improved mechanical strength. Additionally, the composites achieved porosity levels of about 67%, which led to a 90% reduction in thermal conductivity compared to the standard cement paste.

The TGA analysis revealed that these composites preserved about 56% of their mass even after being heated up to 1000 °C, indicating remarkable thermal stability. Due to the closed pore structure, additional multifunctional properties were also observed, including reduced dielectric constant and wave absorption capability. The multifunctional capabilities of these hydrogel-cement composites make them highly desirable for modern and sustainable construction needs.

Conclusion

This research presents an innovative solution inspired by the biomineralization process that transforms cement-based materials used in construction.

They pre-developed a hydrogel network, followed by adding cement hydrates, which led to composite formation. The hydrogel-cement composite showed excellent improvements in mechanical and thermal properties. The composites demonstrated superior multifunctional performance when compared with traditional cement pastes.

From a practical aspect, these composites show potential for designing and maintaining infrastructure, especially in areas that experience earthquakes, harsh climates, or high durability needs. While the study highlights the multifunctionality of the hydrogel-cement composites, it also emphasizes the need for more research into optimizing mixture proportions and balancing porosity with mechanical strength to suit real-world production and application.

As construction industries worldwide adopt greener and more reliable solutions, this method presents a hopeful path towards more durable infrastructure with lower environmental costs. It shows that lessons from nature could be vital for the future of sustainable building materials.

Reference

Wang, H., Miao, Y., Feng, T., et al. (2025). Toward tough and sustainable hydrogel-cement composites via biomineralization-inspired strategy. Npj Materials Sustainability, 3(1), 1–8. DOI: 10.1038/S44296-025-00072-W. https://www.nature.com/articles/s44296-025-00072-w

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