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Imagine if you could hang pictures, fixtures, or items on your walls by simply pressing them against the surface, allowing magnets to take hold. You wouldn't need a drill, wouldn't have to puncture the drywall, nor do extra work to locate studs. That could become a reality thanks to a new type of concrete. Called Ironplac, it's a ferromagnetic material that allows magnets to hold fast on a wall or surface sans screws, nails, or traditional fasteners. What's most interesting is the material is not an active magnet nor does it use electromagnetics, so it won't randomly attract metal.
Mixed into the cement are unique minerals and ferrous fillers which allow the wall to have magnetic properties, strong enough to hold magnets in place when pressed against it. The material responds to magnets rather than emitting its own magnetic field. That's a key point because, otherwise, the wall and materials function normally. Concrete as a building material is fairly simple as-is. If you've ever wondered what's inside concrete, it's just four ingredients; cement, sand, water, and gravel. Ironplac would introduce a couple extras.
However, Ironplac isn't ready for primetime. The 29-year-old inventor, Marco Agustín Secchi, and his proponents have a lot to figure out still. It's not clear how it will perform in commercial and real-world settings but it is in the prototyping stage. For example, how much total weight can it support, and for how long? Could you mount a TV, or would that be too heavy? In addition, are the properties consistent and reliable when used in a build? How expensive would it be to incorporate this material, and do those costs warrant its use over conventional options?
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This isn't the first time magnetic concrete and materials have been proposed
Researchers have been working towards this idea for some time, meaning we've always pondered the concept of magnetized or treated concrete and building materials. In a paper published in Results In Engineering, University of Guilan and Adelaide University researchers examined this very possibility. Working with cement-like composites, infused with magnetic sand and powders, they explored the capabilities of wireless power transfer and magnetic sensing. The biggest difference, of course, is that the paper was more focused on commercial and infrastructure applications, such as uses that might improve public roadways, power facilities, utilities and the like.
Ironplac, assuming the early stages work out for the best, could revolutionize private development beyond commercial applications, meaning it could affect all of us. Used in apartments, condos, or traditional homes, it would nearly eliminate the need to hang items or even decorate using more traditional means. You could slap whatever you want to the walls with the right magnetized mounts.
Beyond magnetic properties, researchers are constantly working to improve the functionality of cement in various ways. Scientists have proposed eco-friendly alternatives to cut down on its carbon footprint, bendable mixtures that are self-healing, and even ultra-tough alternatives made out of fungi and bacteria.
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