Taggant for cement authentication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9751812-B2
Application number	US-201414292334-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2014
Priority date	May 30, 2014
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A traceable cement mixture includes a volume of cementitious material and a taggant disposed within the volume of cementitious material. The taggant includes data relating to a characteristic of the volume of cementitious material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A traceable cement mixture, comprising:
a volume of cementitious material;
a plurality of taggants disposed within the volume of cementitious material according to a taggant mix ratio that is specified based on a quality of the cementitious material, the plurality of taggants including data relating to a characteristic of the volume of cementitious material; and
a volume of an additional material mixed with the volume of cementitious material according an additional material mix ratio.

2. The mixture of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic includes at least one of a grade, a quality, a manufacturer, a manufacture date, an inspection status, an inspection date, and an approval status of the volume of cementitious material.

3. The mixture of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of taggants comprise a hollow shell, the hollow shell configured to float within a volume of water.

4. The mixture of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of taggants include a material that changes color when exposed to water.

5. The mixture of claim 4 , wherein the material includes a water-sensitive dye.

6. The mixture of claim 4 , wherein the material includes iron, and wherein oxidation or reduction of the material provides a color change.

7. The mixture of claim 1 , wherein the additional material includes at least one of an aggregate, a reinforcement fiber, a chemical admixture, and a mineral admixture.

8. The mixture of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of taggants are secured.

9. The mixture of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of taggants include a material having fluorescent properties, the material configured to at least one of provide information and identify the taggant within a volume of concrete associated with the volume of cementitious material.

10. The mixture of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of taggants have a maximum dimension of less than one millimeter.

11. The mixture of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of taggants include a RFID device.

12. The mixture of claim 1 , further comprising a second taggant.

13. The mixture of claim 1 , wherein the taggant has a density that is substantially equal to a density of a volume of concrete associated with the volume of cementitious material.

14. The mixture of claim 1 , wherein the taggant has a density that is substantially less than a density of the volume of cementitious material such that the taggant sinks upon hydration.

15. The mixture of claim 1 , wherein the taggant has a density that is approximately equal to a density of the volume of cementitious material such that the taggant raises or sinks upon dilution.

16. A traceable cement mixture, comprising:
a volume of cementitious material;
a first taggant disposed within the volume of cementitious material, the first taggant including data relating to a first characteristic of the volume of cementitious material; and
a second taggant disposed within the volume of cementitious material, the second taggant including data relating to a second characteristic of the volume of cementitious material different than the first characteristic, wherein the first taggant includes data that is different than the data of the second taggant.

17. A traceable cement mixture, comprising:
a volume of cementitious material; and
a taggant disposed within the volume of cementitious material, the taggant including data relating to a characteristic of the volume of cementitious material,
wherein the characteristic includes a number density of taggants within the volume of cementitious material, the number density of taggants specified based on a quality of the cementitious material.

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Bowers Jeffrey A
• Ferren Bran
• Hillis W Daniel
• Hyde Roderick A
• Kare Jordin T
• Myhrvold Cameron A
• Myhrvold Conor L
• Myhrvold Nathan P
• Nugent Jr Thomas J
• Pan Tony S
• Tegreene Clarence T
• Tuckerman David B
• Wood Jr Lowell L

Classifications

• C04B2103/54

  Pigments; Dyes · CPC title

• G01N33/383

  Concrete or cement · CPC title

• C04B28/02

  containing hydraulic cements other than calcium sulfates · CPC title

• C04B40/0096 Primary

  Provisions for indicating condition of the compositions or the final products, e.g. degree of homogeneous mixing, degree of wear · CPC title

• C04B20/0048

  Fibrous materials · CPC title