Innovative Electrochemical Deposition Techniques for Durable Concrete Crack Repair
Xibin Wang *
School of Civil and Transportation, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power. Zhengzhou-450045, Henan, China.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Electrochemical deposition repair (EDR) technology drives ionic species migration by applying an external electric field, generating insoluble crystalline precipitates within cracks to achieve autogenous healing and matrix reinforcement. This technology offers advantages such as superior micro-crack sealing capability, eco-friendliness, and enhanced durability. The EDR process includes electric field-induced ion transport, nucleation and crystal growth of deposition products, and crack infilling with interfacial bonding enhancement. Research shows that EDR technology can effectively seal crack apertures, reduce permeability coefficients, enhance flexural strength, and positively impact concrete chloride desalination and steel reinforcement repassivation. Factors influencing repair efficacy include electrolyte composition, current density distribution, and concrete matrix properties. Future research should integrate materials science, electrochemistry, and artificial intelligence to build a "mechanism-process-performance" integrated research framework, promoting the large-scale application of electrochemical deposition in engineering and supporting the green transformation of civil engineering materials.
Keywords: Electrochemical deposition, concrete crack repair, ion migration