- US researchers have managed to create greener concrete in a lab test
- It is more resistant and emits fewer greenhouse gases
- This is the main challenge in the fight against climate change, but also pollution
“It’s a great win for the environment.”. This is how scientists from Houston-based Rice University presented their new research. While cement production accounts for 8% of annual carbon emissions, they have been able to make significant progress in making concrete greener.
Winner all the way?
Specifically, they resorted to a technique called Rapid heating by Joule effect It aims to remove toxic heavy metals from fly ash used in concrete production. The researchers found that replacing 30% of the cement with purified coal fly ash improved the strength and elasticity of the latter by 51 and 28%. Even better, this process reduces greenhouse gas emissions and heavy metals by 30 and 41%.
Bing Ding, lead author of the study, is excited: “Reducing emissions from cement production is very important in mitigating global greenhouse gas emissions. This is the overall goal of this research..
You should also know that 750 million tons of coal fly ash are produced each year. However, it is very harmful to the environment. But with the process scientists developed, the heavy metals in the ash were reduced by 90%.
Researcher James Tour continues on this topic: “Many times we try to fix something and spoil another. By trying to do something with this waste, namely coal fly ash, we have polluted our environment because heavy metals have seeped in. The water carried them into our environment and polluted our soil along the roads.”.
Undoubtedly, this study will be closely scrutinized not only by the industrialists concerned with this file but also by the public authorities. Pending the potential commercialization of this innovation, the idea of cleaner cement presents a major challenge. In France, Materrup has taken up this topic in particular and offers uncalcined clay cement. The latter is “Abundant Local Matter and Low Carbon Footprint”says the company on its website.