Time: September 10, 2024 (10:00), UTC+8

Venue: 4th-floor conference room, Cement Concrete Building, Silicate Materials Engineering Research Center

Lecturer: Dr. Li Jiaqi, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor)

Inviter: Professor Liu Zhichao

Biography: Dr. Li Jiaqi received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2019. He has published 25 journal articles as the first author/corresponding author, including 12 papers in the top journal Cement and Concrete Research. His work has been cited over 2,700 times, and he has an h-index of 33 (Google Scholar). Dr. Li has been recognized as one of the top 2% of highly cited scientists globally, and has received several accolades, including the Ernest Lawrence Fellowship as an independent project leader at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the Early Career Award. As a principal investigator (PI) or co-PI, he has secured over $7 million in research funding.

Dr. Li Jiaqi will join the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, as an Assistant Professor in January 2025. Students interested in pursuing a full-time Ph.D., postdoctoral positions, or joint training programs are welcome to get in touch.

Abstract:

The production of Portland cement, the primary binder of concrete, contributes to ~8% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Partial cement replacement by vitreous (alumino) silicates sourced from industrial byproducts and other additives decarbonizes concrete products at scale. This decarbonation approach typically alters the structure of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H), the key binding phase of concrete, at multiple length scales. Understanding the structure and mechanical properties of C-S-H is critical to optimizing the performance of low-carbon concrete. The microstructure and mechanical properties of C-S- Hs in low-carbon concrete have been well understood and optimized to the limits. However, the nanostructure and nanomechanical properties of C-S-Hs remain debated. Advanced characterization techniques are powerful to unveiling the nanostructure and intrinsic mechanical properties of C-S-Hs. The experimental studies of C-S-Hs at the nanoscale are important for validating computational models and micromechanical properties of various cement-based materials.

Edited by: Li Tiantian, Wang Jingjing

Source: State Key Laboratory of Silicate Materials for Architectures