When added to concrete instead of sand, BioChar can increase strength by double while reducing weight by half. It will also impart new qualities to the concrete such as insulation properties as well as being a moisture barrier to prevent mold and mildew growth which will avoid sick building syndrome. This is due to the BioChar’s nano size pores. When added to plastic formulations it will substantially increase strength, while also being able to withstand higher temperatures.

 

When added to asphalt for roads BioChar will revolutionize the way we build roads and highways. Tens of thousands of kilometers of roads and highways are built or rebuilt around the planet every year. For the past six years, road building company CarbonCor, has been piloting the use of different types of BioChar in roads built in Malaysia, Thailand and most recently in Australia. They have developed road building materials that can sink up to 30 tons of BioChar into 1 kilometer of road thus sequestering 90 tons of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere. At these rates, asphalt could potentially be a larger market for BioChar than soils! The addition of BioChar can improve the durability and increase the service life of asphalt pavement, reducing construction and maintenance costs over the complete life cycle of the asphalt pavement, which has significant economic and social value.