Understanding and controlling materials’ properties and behaviour require knowledge of their structure across different dimensions.
The classification of the levels of the materials’ structure and their dimensions is neither consensual nor uniform in the specialised literature.
However, the most widely used classifications generally consider the following levels:
The materials’ properties at microscopic and nanometric scales determine their macroscopic behaviour.
The application of nanoscience and nanotechnology to cement-based materials aims to:
- improve the performance and durability of these materials
- design innovative multifunctional materials that provide specific construction solutions capable of responding to market developments
- develop new technologies that help address growing environmental challenges and concerns.
This menu describes:
- the structure of atoms
- the chemical bonds’ models
- the relationship between the internal structure, materials classification and their macroscopic properties.