Welcome to the future of repair materials

We develop multi-functional mortars and grouts for restoration, structural strengthening and health monitoring of architectural monuments, critical infrastructure and traditional buildings

Main goal

to develop multi-functional repair materials and enable the transition from smart materials to smart monuments and structures.

The Challenge

Name: akeisthai
Address: GR

Until recently, the repair of cracks in mortars and coatings of monuments was performed by replacing the damaged materials with new ones and filling the cracks with pastes and grouts. This conventional approach of monument conservation involves both economic (additional cost for repair) and environmental implications (consumption of mineral raw materials and fuels, production of pollutants).

The Solution

AKEISTHAI develops a new category of "smart" multi-functional materials that perceive their deterioration and repair it by themselves as "living organisms", triggering the healing mechanisms.

These innovative materials will ensure self-healing ability of conservation mortars, extending their service life and durability, as well as the self-diagnosis of (micro-)structural damage of mortars due to external loads.

Main aims

development of innovative, smart materials for the conservation of architectural monuments and historic buildings.
reduction of conservation, maintenance and monitoring cost of historic and traditional buildings, through the continuous monitoring, detection, and self-healing of (micro-)structural failures.
enhance the performance and service life of conservation/restoration mortars and grouts.
reduce the environmental footprint of conservation mortars by investing in low energy-demanding binders.
support sustainable preservation of cultural heritage.

Basic outcomes

Innovative, smart building materials with enhanced sustainability, compatibility and service life, including:

self-healing conservation/restoration mortars
nano-composite conservation/restoration mortars with piezo-electric properties
solid dispersions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) grown on the surface of cement and pozzolan particles

self-healing
mortars

development of innovative restoration mortars with self-healing ability, by incorporating encapsulated core/shell-type active additives

piezo-electric properties

incorporation of functional C-nanostructures (CF, CNTs, GnPs, rGOx), aiming to develop self-sensing, piezo-resistive mortars

reinforced at nanoscale

increasing the toughness of repair mortars by introducing C-based reinforcement at the nano scale