Influence of activator type on hydration kinetics, hydrate assemblage and microstructural development of alkali activated blast-furnace slags

Innovation in use and research on cementitious material

Early hydration and setting of Portland cement monitored by IR, SEM and Vicat techniques

https://spiral.imperial.ac.uk/bitstream/10044/1/38988/13/Gartner%20and%20Hirao%202015%20final%20corrected%20MS.pdf

A review of alternative approaches to the reduction of CO2 emissions associated with the manufacture of the binder phase in concrete

The use of cement and concrete, among the most widely used man-made materials, is under scrutiny. Owing to their large-scale use, production of cement and concrete results in substantial emission of greenhouse gases and places strain on the availability of natural resources, such as water. Projected urbanization over the next 50–100 years therefore indicates that the demand for cement and concrete will continue to increase, necessitating strategies to limit their environmental impact. In this Review, we shed light on the available solutions that can be implemented within the next decade and beyond to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cement and concrete production. As the construction sector has proven to be very slow-moving and risk-averse, we focus on minor improvements that can be achieved across the value chain, such as the use of supplementary cementitious materials and optimizing the clinker content of cement. Critically, the combined effect of these marginal gains can have an important impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 50% if all stakeholders are engaged. In doing so, we reveal credible pathways for sustainable concrete use that balance societal needs, environmental requirements and technical feasibility. Concrete is one of the most widely used man-made materials and is critical for the ongoing urbanization of the global population. However, owing to its widespread use, concrete can have a negative impact on the environment. This Review provides medium-term and long-term solutions to address the environmental concerns surrounding concrete production.

/pdf/environmental-impacts-and-decarbonization-strategies-in-the-2v8xetia8b.pdf

Environmental impacts and decarbonization strategies in the cement and concrete industries

Quantitative study of Portland cement hydration by X-ray diffraction/rietveld analysis and independent methods

Because of its low cost, its ease of use and relative robustness to misuse, its versatility, and its local availability, concrete is by far the most widely used building material in the world today. Intrinsically, concrete has a very low energy and carbon footprint compared to most other materials. However, the volume of Portland cement required for concrete construction makes the cement industry a large emitter of CO2. The International Energy Agency recently proposed a global CO2 reduction plan. This plan has three main elements: long term CO2 targets, a sectorial approach based on the lowest cost to society, and technology roadmaps that demonstrate the means to achieve the CO2 reductions. For the cement industry, this plan calls for a reduction in CO2 emissions from 2 Gt in 2007 to 1.55 Gt in 2050, while over the same period cement production is projected to increase by about 50 %. The authors of the cement industry roadmap point out that the extrapolation of existing technologies (fuel efficiency, alternative fuels and biomass, and clinker substitution) will only take us half the way towards these goals. According to the roadmap, the industry will have to rely on costly and unproven carbon capture and storage technologies for the other half of the required reduction. This will result in significant additional costs for society. Most of the CO2 footprint of cement is due to the decarbonation of limestone during the clinkering process. Designing new clinkers that require less limestone is one means to significantly reduce the CO2 footprint of cement and concrete. A new class of clinkers described in this paper can reduce CO2 emissions by 20 to 30 % when compared to the manufacture of traditional PC Clinker.

Cement and carbon emissions

Where is the iron? Clinker microanalysis with XRD Rietveld, optical microscopy/point counting, Bogue and SEM-EDS techniques

https://hal.inria.fr/hal-00852260/document

Effect of gaseous cement industry effluents on four species of microalgae

The present invention relates to a composition including at least a Portland clinker and a Belite-Calcium-Sulphoaluminate-Ferrite clinker (BCSAF).

Günther Walenta

Papers

Quantitative study of Portland cement hydration by X-ray diffraction/rietveld analysis and independent methods

Cement and carbon emissions

Where is the iron? Clinker microanalysis with XRD Rietveld, optical microscopy/point counting, Bogue and SEM-EDS techniques

Effect of gaseous cement industry effluents on four species of microalgae

Hydraulic binder with a base of sulfoaluminate clinker and portland clinker