Digital construction
Novel carbon-fiber reinforcement for concrete 3D printing and other methods
![Fig. 2: Mineral-impregnated carbon-fiber composite (MCF) in the concrete 3D printing process; left: coupled deposition of concrete and MCF; right: cut of a printed wall element [4]](https://www.bft-international.com/imgs/1/5/3/0/5/6/6/8_4_Mechtcherine_Fig._2-b7f097a623a80165.jpeg)
Mineral-impregnated carbon-fiber composites (MCFs) constitute a new type of reinforcement for construction. While inheriting the advantages of existing carbon-fiber reinforcements, which are composite materials made of carbon filaments embedded in a thermoplastic or thermosetting matrix, MCFs surpass the limitations of such polymer-impregnated types. More specifically, mineral impregnation considerably improves the performance of the reinforcement at elevated temperatures, enhances its bond to the concrete matrix, and increases technological flexibility, especially with respect to emerging...
