UK CAER Cementitious Research team. Photo provided by UK CAER.
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Concrete is the most widely used man-made material on Earth, second only to water as the most-consumed resource on the planet. And concrete production is responsible for 8% of the world’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
The University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy (CAER) Cementitious Materials Group develops and tests cements and concretes, seeking more environmentally friendly solutions for the future. CAER’s researchers are exploring a new way to utilize CO2 to improve the performance of cement and concrete.
Through this innovative project, and with support from PPL Corporation, CAER researchers are finding a way to use some of that CO2 through a new technology. The Center is developing a novel calcium-based sorbent — a material that picks up and retains liquid — to mineralize the CO2, which enhances the reactivity of the resulting powdered product. The sorbent is deployed using traditional spray dryer technology and coupled with high CO2 emitting industrial processes to create a high-performance material.
The hope is that this reactive powder will enhance the hydration and strength performance of standard cements, mortars and concretes.
“Eliminating greenhouse gas emissions from sources and processes readily used in the world today, such as electricity generation, transportation and manufacturing, requires research into innovative technologies that can capture and permanently store carbon dioxide,” said Aron Patrick, PPL director of Research and Development and a member of the UK CAER Advisory Board. “Concrete is ubiquitous in modern society and offers tremendous potential for permanent carbon sequestration.”
“Everyone who works in the cement and concrete space is aware of the concerns with carbon dioxide,” said Bob Jewell, associate director of CAER’s Cementitious Materials Group. “It’s a major challenge facing the industry. Our group is committed to creating more sustainable cement and concrete manufacturing processes, and this project holds great promise.
“I thank our project collaborators – PPL Corporation – for working with us on this endeavor. Innovation requires many partners, and the team at PPL has been both encouraging and supportive along the way. We appreciate their commitment to our