Concrete is a problematic material at present, however new research has suggested that creating it with the residue of some chemical manufacturing could lead to a more sustainable future for it. According to Engineering and Technology, the cement manufacturing industry is responsible for seven per cent of yearly emissions of carbon dioxide – a significant figure.
However, now scientists at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) in Lithuania have found a way to manufacture a concrete-like substance, which doesn’t use cement, in which the problems with carbon dioxide lie.
Vytautas Bocullo, a researcher who worked on the project, said that after years of development, the idea is no longer radical: “Instead of Portland cement we are using alkali-activated industrial waste products – fly ash, biofuel bottom ash, AlF3 production waste – silicagel etc,” he said.
Any material which has silicon or aluminium compounds could be used in essence, according to the study, as when treated with a special alkaline solution, they start to melt and bind to create a substance that is similar to traditional cement and can be used to make concrete.
The researchers are however trying to make use of waste product from other chemical-related industries, including fluoride production and biofuel ash.
The material depends on the ingredients used, however it has the same compressive strength as normal concrete and can be applied to many of the same fields.
To create one metric ton of Portland cement, a popular style for creating concrete, one ton of carbon dioxide is also released into the atmosphere.