A way to make cement stronger and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere is found
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
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After analyzing the molecular structure of the material, specialists can derive a new formula that will help change the quality of the material, and also affect the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere.
In construction, the most common material is concrete, which is also one of the main participants in global warming, it produces 1/10 of the greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere.
A recent study of experts has allowed scientists to develop a new technique that will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions (approximately twice).
In addition, after carrying out a complex molecular analysis of the structure of concrete, specialists came to the conclusion that it can be made more durable and resistant to damage. Concrete is made from sand, water and cement, for the production of cement, in turn, a mixture of materials of two kinds is used - one enriched with calcium (usually limestone), the second silicon (usually clay). When the mixture is heated to 1500 ° C, a solid mass is obtained, which is called clinker. It is during the production of building material (with heating, decarbonisation), most of the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere occurs.
When analyzing the structure, scientists came to the conclusion that with a decrease in the amount of calcium in the material, it is possible not only to reduce emissions, but also to make the material more durable.
Cement is widely distributed on the planet, and studies show that cement is used three times more often than steel. In conventional cement, the ratio of calcium to silicon can range from about 1: 1 to 2: 1, the norm is usually considered to be 1.7: 1. However, there has never before been a detailed comparison of the material with a different ratio of molecular structures. As the author of the research notes, he created a database with the team, which included all the chemical compounds, while it was possible to establish that the optimal ratio that is currently used is 1.5: 1.
As explained by the expert, if you change the ratio, the molecular structure of the material begins to improve (from densely ordered crystalline to chaotic glassy). In addition, experts have found that at a ratio of 1.5 parts of calcium and 1 part of silicon, the mixture becomes twice as strong and acquires greater resistance to damage.
All the conclusions made by specialists were confirmed by a huge number of experiments.
In the process of cement production, up to 10% of greenhouse gas emissions enter the atmosphere, and if the amount of calcium in the material is reduced, according to experts, the release of CO2 into the atmosphere will significantly decrease. Scientists claim that carbon emissions will drop by 60% in the production of cement with a reduced amount of calcium.
This work of specialists represents the end of the five-year joint work of the specialists of the University of Technology from Massachusetts and the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), the head of the scientific project was Roland Peleng.
Specialists suggest that the new formula for cement production, due to its high strength and resistance to various kinds of mechanical damage, can become interesting to gas and oil companies, where cement prevents leakage and breakthroughs from the pipes.
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