Health

Current uses of asbestos exceed exposure limits, finds study

A new study summarizing asbestos exposure during the installation and removal of asbestos cement products demonstrates that these construction activities almost always exceed U.S. occupational limits. The study focused on ...

Surgery

Novel antibiotic cement to treat bone infections

Each year, 700,000 people die due to antibiotic resistance. A growing global population unfortunately generates a growing resistance to established antibiotic treatments—a threat that has been met with insufficient funding ...

Immunology

Replacement with non-allergenic joints can provide relief

Allergies to metals used in artificial joint hardware, or to the bone cement used to secure them, can cause severe pain, itching, swelling and loosening of the joint, according to research at National Jewish Health. Replacement ...

Medical research

Self-healing bone cement developed

Materials scientists at the University of Jena have developed a bone replacement based on calcium phosphate cement and reinforced with carbon fibers. The fibers increase damage tolerance and ensure that cracks in the material ...

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Cement

In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance which sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term "opus caementicium" to describe masonry which resembled concrete and was made from crushed rock with burnt lime as binder. The volcanic ash and pulverized brick additives which were added to the burnt lime to obtain a hydraulic binder were later referred to as cementum, cimentum, cäment and cement. Cements used in construction are characterized as hydraulic or non-hydraulic.

The most important use of cement is the production of mortar and concrete - the bonding of natural or artificial aggregates to form a strong building material which is durable in the face of normal environmental effects.

Cement should not be confused with concrete because the term cement explicitly refers to the dry powder substance. Upon the addition of water and/or additives the cement mixture is referred to as concrete, especially if aggregates have been added.

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