A research team at Yarmouk University has achieved a research milestone by publishing a patent application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for an invention entitled “Concrete Composition Containing Thiol/Sulfide Compounds”.
The research team includes Dr. Fares Matalqa from the Department of Civil Engineering at the Hijjawi Faculty of Engineering Technology, along with Prof. Mohammad Zaitoun and Dr. Yazan Al-Akkam from the Department of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the Faculty of Pharmacy.
The patent application published by the Technology Transfer Office at the Deanship of Scientific Research and Postgraduate Studies addressed the development of a modified concrete composition that includes thiol-alcohol derivatives and cysteine-derived compounds, to enhance the mechanical strength of concrete by up to 50% compared to conventional concrete and improve its durability in harsh environments, through mechanisms that accelerate the cement hydration process by reducing the water content in the mix, this improves density and structural properties, reducing cement consumption without compromising overall performance.
According to the study, adding small amounts of these organic compounds to the concrete mix enhances the hydration reaction of cement. It also creates an effective alkaline medium that strengthens bonding and cohesion properties while reducing water loss.
Test results have shown that using cysteine and thiol alcohol derivatives before incorporating them into concrete mixtures improves the structural performance and increases their break-resistance after 7-28 days of curing.
The research team emphasizes that this achievement reflects real integration between engineering and pharmaceutical sciences, standing as one of the multidisciplinary applied models that the university aims to support, and also confirms that using amino acid derivatives in building materials opens up new horizons for using these materials in the construction industry to improve different properties of concrete mixtures.
According to the research team, this research work is a successful example of fruitful collaboration between pharmacy and engineering specialties, as it allows an integration of experiences in molecule design and assessing its behavior in a cement environment to produce a unique combination with promising applications in sustainable construction.
The Deanship of Science Research and Postgraduate Studies is currently working on marketing the patent and seeking industrial and investment partners to transform the composition into a commercially usable product for the building and construction sector, thereby contributing to supporting the knowledge economy and strengthening the university's role in innovation and entrepreneurship.
