Abstract
Core facets of CARE are to explore novel resources and technologies for the production of CO2 neutral concrete and to develop circular construction materials through the recycling of end-of-life hydrated blended cement pastes. In this project net-zero or even net-negative cement manufacturing shall be explored by electrochemical transformation of various minerals into cementitious precursors and into valuable by-products at ambient temperatures. As a central element, an electrochemical reactor will be built with high output and performance rates. Besides, highly abundant minerals shall be explored to produce metal hydroxides and amorphous SiO2 in parallel. Those precipitated materials shall be used to make new cements without the additional use of high energy intense clinker processes. Since magnesium silicate cements emerge as an alternative to conventional Portland cements, particular focus will be given to M-S-H binders – in terms of synthesis, carbonation and thermodynamic modelling.
