A Grade 10 learner from Hoërskool Jan van Riebeeck earned a gold medal for his science project at the Buca International Music Science Engineering Energy Fair (Imsef) in Turkey this year.
17-year-old Adrian Huysamen represented Eskom Expo for Young Scientists with his project entitled, “A comparison between the influence of three different sizes of exfoliated vermiculite on the thermal and mechanical properties of cement construction bricks.”
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Huysamen created construction bricks that can be used to build houses, with the aim of making lightweight, fire-resistant, insulating and durable bricks.
He used vermiculite, a type of mineral used to work into the ground in droughts, and mixed it with cement. The bricks created are one eighth lighter than normal cement bricks and are 60% stronger when in contact with fire.
Huysamen says that his project aims to address our country’s need for more energy-efficient buildings and construction materials.
“The bricks can be used on their own without any other form of insulation in a building. These bricks are good for informal settlement building. As you don’t have extra cost of insulation, they’re light weight so building can happen faster.”
“It’s safe in fires. We know informal settlement fires are constantly ongoing in the province, so it would help in a physical setting to save lives in that situation,” he explains.
The research and construction of the bricks took the high schooler just over a year to put together and involved experiments with various bricks.
“My whole project was about how much vermiculite and what size of vermiculite would be the best to make the optimal brick that would be a good balance between strength and a good balance between insulation and fire-resistant properties.”
His process involved weighing the bricks, putting them into a hydraulic press, firing them in a simulated fire, and then putting them in a press again.
“I also put fire on the one side of the brick and put temperature on the other side to see what the insulation property was of the brick.”
After well-deserved acknowledgement for his 60-page report and creation, Huysamen says: “I feel very excited and thankful for receiving this great award. A lot of hard work went into this project, and I am very glad that all that work paid off.”
“My project was inspired by our country’s energy crisis, as well as dangerous informal settlement fires motivated me to find a solution for these problems.”
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Eskom Development Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Sumaya Nassiep, congratulated Huysamen, saying: “It is notable that at such a young age, Adrian realised that environmental and economic constraints are increasing and affecting the construction industry: which results in a need for more energy-efficient buildings and construction materials.”
“Our country’s future looks brighter with the calibre of learners like Adrian, who we have a hand in cultivating as a future innovator.”
Nthato Minyuku, Eskom Group Executive: Government and Regulatory Affairs, says: “Taking part in the Buca Imsef has been an incredible opportunity for Adrian to show South African ingenuity to a wider audience.”
“It is impressive to see that a key sustainability driver for the organisation like Eskom Expo is producing the next generation of scientists, innovators and engineers, whose research projects are on par with upward trends in the vermiculite global markets, and could be impactful for the changing world.”
Huysamen, who wants to pursue a career in civil engineering, hopes his project can be manufactured and implemented in building projects around the Western Cape.
“I want to create these bricks and put them into the market to help all people in the Western Cape, South Africa and even the world to build buildings that are safer for them, are low cost and energy efficient.”
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Picture: News24