Archive

August 2009

Russian Transport Ministry licenses Nanoterra soil (NTS)

The Universities of Moscow and Tyumen (Siberia) have awarded the Nanoterra soil (NTS) additive for improving road and path construction excellent marks following intensive testing (see the separate NanoSky AG press release from August 2009). In light of these excellent results, which were set out in an extensive report spanning some 100 pages, the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Transport has now licensed this innovative product via the Federal Roads Agency (ROSAVTODOR). As a result, NTS can be offered and used for road-building projects in Russia. In the meantime, the first contract has been concluded for a road in the Murmansk region, which is to be built using NTS to make it particularly durable and frost-proof. Other projects in 6 regions are in the pipeline. NTS has also been given the go-ahead for use in road building in the Ukraine. The patented NTS product has been available since 2010 from NanoSky AG, which is based in Munich.

August 2009

Moscow University publishes test results
Nanoterra soil fares best in an international comparison

Russia’s leading universities for road building, the Moscow Technical University (Institute of Automotive and Road Building, MADI), and the Tyumen Building University (Siberia, Teaching Chair for Road Building and Airports) have carried out extensive testing in order to check the effects of polymer additives for soil stabilisation. The additive “Nanoterra soil” (NTS) achieved the best results by far. Ten companies from the USA, Switzerland, Germany, Finland and Russia were involved in the tests.

The patented NTS product has been available since 2010 from NanoSky AG, which is based in Munich. The company, which was founded at the end of 2009, specialises in the research, development and application of nanotechnology processes, particularly in the fields of construction, corrosion protection and fire protection.

Nanoterra soil (NTS) is a nano-technology-based multi-functional additive that allows physico-chemical processes to occur at molecular level. The system is based on an aqueous polymer dispersion of butadiene with nanoscale silicon dioxide and is used to consolidate and stabilise both soil underneath roads and base courses on upper road structures. It can be used as effectively in local soils (from clay to sand) as it can in concrete and asphalt.

Russia presents something of a rather special challenge in road building. On the one hand, there is massive demand in this enormous country for new and long-lasting roads, but on the other the climatic and geological conditions are particularly difficult. “This is precisely why the positive results of the scientific investigations and tests from the universities delighted us so much”, explains Günther Gang, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of NanoSky AG.

“Soil stabilisation with NTS is extremely efficient”, says Vladimir P. Nosov from the MADI. “Consequently, construction costs for base courses that include this additive are 20 to 60 per cent lower.” Their life cycle is increased by a factor of 2 to 5, which means that roads containing Nanoterra soil (NTS) last twice as long as conventional roads. What’s more, the roads are significantly more resistant to water and frost. The road-building season in Siberia, for instance, can be extended by up to 2 months, since the system can be installed even when the temperature falls below minus 10°C.

The tests were carried out under outdoor conditions on testing areas both in Moscow and in Tyumen. NTS also doesn't just work brilliantly in frosty conditions, but works equally well in extremely hot and dry environments.
Download "PDF Einrichtung von Tragschichten mit NTS" (German)