{"id":160699,"date":"2025-04-01T07:37:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-01T05:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/?p=160699"},"modified":"2025-03-26T13:50:47","modified_gmt":"2025-03-26T12:50:47","slug":"new-carbon-negative-material-could-make-concrete-and-cement-more-sustainable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/new-carbon-negative-material-could-make-concrete-and-cement-more-sustainable\/","title":{"rendered":"New carbon-negative material could make concrete and cement more sustainable"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"970\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2025\/03\/carbon-negative-building-material1940__FitMaxWzk3MCw2NTBd.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-160752\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.4923076923076923;width:637px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2025\/03\/carbon-negative-building-material1940__FitMaxWzk3MCw2NTBd.jpg 970w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2025\/03\/carbon-negative-building-material1940__FitMaxWzk3MCw2NTBd-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2025\/03\/carbon-negative-building-material1940__FitMaxWzk3MCw2NTBd-150x101.jpg 150w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2025\/03\/carbon-negative-building-material1940__FitMaxWzk3MCw2NTBd-768x515.jpg 768w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2025\/03\/carbon-negative-building-material1940__FitMaxWzk3MCw2NTBd-400x268.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 970px) 100vw, 970px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The researchers created solid materials that could be used in concrete as a substitute for sand and\/or gravel. Or they could be used to manufacture cement, plaster and paint \u2014 all essential finishes in the built environment.\u00a0<br>\u00a9 Northwestern Edu<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Researchers injected CO<sub>2<\/sub>\u00a0gas into seawater while applying an electrical current<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Process transformed dissolved ions, minerals in seawater into clusters of solid particles<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The clusters hold over half their weight in CO<sub>2<\/sub>\u00a0to become a carbon sink<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Material could replace sand in concrete and be used in other construction materials while trapping CO<sub>2<\/sub><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Using seawater, electricity and carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2<\/sub>), Northwestern University scientists have developed a new carbon-negative building material.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>As Earth\u2019s climate continues to warm, researchers around the globe are exploring ways to capture CO<sub>2<\/sub>\u00a0from the air and store it deep underground. While this approach has multiple climate benefits, it does not maximize the value of the enormous amounts of atmospheric CO<sub>2<\/sub><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"accessible-text\">Now, Northwestern\u2019s new strategy addresses this challenge by locking away CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;permanently&nbsp;<em>and<\/em>&nbsp;turning it into valuable materials, which can be used to manufacture concrete, cement, plaster and paint. The process to generate the carbon-negative materials also releases hydrogen gas \u2014 a clean fuel with various applications, including transportation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/adsu.202400943\" target=\"_blank\">study was published today<\/a>\u00a0(March 19) in the journal <em>Advanced Sustainable Systems<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWe have developed a new approach that allows us to use seawater to create carbon-negative construction materials,\u201d said <strong>Northwestern\u2019s\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mccormick.northwestern.edu\/research-faculty\/directory\/profiles\/rotta-loria-alessandro.html\" target=\"_blank\">Alessandro Rotta Loria<\/a><\/strong>, who led the study. \u201cCement, concrete, paint and plasters are customarily composed of or derived from calcium- and magnesium-based minerals, which are often sourced from aggregates \u2013\u2013 what we call sand. Currently, sand is sourced through mining from mountains, riverbeds, coasts and the ocean floor. In collaboration with Cemex, we have devised an alternative approach to source sand \u2014 not by digging into the Earth but by harnessing electricity and CO<sub>2<\/sub>\u00a0to grow sand-like materials in seawater.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Rotta Loria is the Louis Berger Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northwestern\u2019s&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mccormick.northwestern.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\">McCormick School of Engineering<\/a>.&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mccormick.northwestern.edu\/research-faculty\/directory\/profiles\/lopez-jeffrey.html\" target=\"_blank\">Jeffrey Lopez<\/a>, an assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering at McCormick, served as a key coauthor on the study. Co-advised by Rotta Loria and Lopez, other Northwestern contributors include Nishu Devi, a postdoctoral fellow and lead author; Xiaohui Gong and Daiki Shoji, Ph.D. students; and Amy Wagner, former graduate student. The study also benefited from the contributions of key representatives from the Global R&amp;D department of Cemex, a global building materials company dedicated to sustainable construction. This work is part of a broader collaboration between Northwestern and Cemex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Seashell-inspired science<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The new study builds on previous work from Rotta Loria\u2019s lab&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/news.northwestern.edu\/stories\/2024\/06\/simple-new-process-stores-co2-in-concrete-without-compromising-strength\/\" target=\"_blank\">to store CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;long term in concrete<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/news.northwestern.edu\/stories\/2024\/august\/fighting-coastal-erosion-with-electricity\/\" target=\"_blank\">to electrify seawater to cement<\/a>&nbsp;marine soils. Now, he leverages insights from those two projects by injecting CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;while applying electricity to seawater in the lab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur research group tries to harness electricity to innovate construction and industrial processes,\u201d Rotta Loria said. \u201cWe also like to use seawater because it\u2019s a naturally abundant resource. It\u2019s not scarce like fresh water.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To generate the carbon-negative material, the researchers started by inserting electrodes into seawater and applying an electric current. The low electrical current split water molecules into hydrogen gas and hydroxide ions. While leaving the electric current on, the researchers bubbled CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;gas through seawater. This process changed the chemical composition of the water, increasing the concentration of bicarbonate ions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, the hydroxide ions and bicarbonate ions reacted with other dissolved ions, such as calcium and magnesium, that occur naturally in seawater. The reaction produced solid minerals, including calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide. Calcium carbonate directly acts as a carbon sink, while magnesium hydroxide sequesters carbon through further interactions with CO<sub>2<\/sub>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rotta Loria likens the process to the technique coral and mollusks use to form their shells, which harnesses metabolic energy to convert dissolved ions into calcium carbonate. But, instead of metabolic energy, the researchers applied electrical energy to initiate the process and boosted mineralization with the injection of CO<sub>2<\/sub>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cThe appeal of such an approach is the attention that is being given to the ecosystem and using science to harness the elements in the contemporary environment to develop valuable products for several industries and preserve resources,\u201d said<strong> Davide Zampini, vice president of global R&amp;D at Cemex<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Dual discoveries<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Through experimentation, the researchers made two significant discoveries. Not only could they grow these minerals into sand, but they also were able to change the composition of these materials by controlling experimental factors, including the voltage and current of electricity, the flow rate, timing and duration of CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;injection, and the flow rate, timing and duration of seawater recirculation in the reactor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Depending on the conditions, the resulting substances are flakier and more porous or denser and harder \u2014 but always primarily composed of calcium carbonate and\/or magnesium hydroxide. Researchers can grow the materials around an electrode or directly in solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWe showed that when we generate these materials, we can fully control their properties, such as the chemical composition, size, shape and porosity,\u201d <strong>Rotta Loria<\/strong> said. \u201cThat gives us some flexibility to develop materials suited to different applications.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>These materials could be used in concrete as a substitute for sand and\/or gravel \u2014 a crucial ingredient that accounts for 60-70% of this ubiquitous building material. Or they could be used to manufacture cement, plaster and paint \u2014 all essential finishes in the built environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Storing carbon in structures<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Depending on the ratio of minerals, the material can hold over half its weight in CO<sub>2<\/sub>. With a composition of half calcium carbonate and half magnesium hydroxide, for example, 1 metric ton of the material has the capacity to store over one-half a metric ton of CO<sub>2<\/sub>. Rotta Loria also says the material \u2014 if used to replace sand or powder \u2014 would not weaken the strength of concrete or cement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rotta Loria envisions industry could apply the technique in highly scalable, modular reactors \u2014 not directly into the ocean \u2014 to avoid disturbing ecosystems and sea life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cThis approach would enable full control of the chemistry of the water sources and water effluent, which would be reinjected into open seawater only after adequate treatment and environmental verifications,\u201d <strong>he<\/strong> said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Responsible for&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/stories\/2024\/09\/cement-production-sustainable-concrete-co2-emissions\/#:~:text=It's%20been%20said%20that%20if,the%20world's%20total%20CO2%20emissions.\" target=\"_blank\">8% of global CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;emissions<\/a>, the cement industry is the world\u2019s fourth-largest carbon emitter, according to the World Economic Forum. When combined with concrete production, this figure is even higher. Rotta Loria foresees putting some of that CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;back into concrete and cement to make more sustainable materials for construction and manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWe could create a circularity where we sequester CO<sub>2<\/sub>\u00a0right at the source,\u201d <strong>Rotta Loria<\/strong> said. \u201cAnd, if the concrete and cement plants are located on shorelines, we could use the ocean right next to them to feed dedicated reactors where CO<sub>2<\/sub>\u00a0is transformed through clean electricity into materials that can be used for myriad applications in the construction industry. Then, those materials would truly become carbon sinks.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The study, \u201cElectrodeposition of carbon-trapping minerals in seawater for variable electrochemical potentials and carbon dioxide injections,\u201d was supported by Cemex and Northwestern\u2019s McCormick School of Engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:9px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Original Publication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a>Electrodeposition of Carbon-Trapping Minerals in Seawater for Variable Electrochemical Potentials and Carbon Dioxide Injections; <a href=\"https:\/\/advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/authored-by\/Devi\/Nishu\">Nishu Devi<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/authored-by\/Gong\/Xiaohui\">Xiaohui Gong<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/authored-by\/Shoji\/Daiki\">Daiki Shoji<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/authored-by\/Wagner\/Amy\">Amy Wagner<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/authored-by\/Guerini\/Alexandre\">Alexandre Guerini<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/authored-by\/Zampini\/Davide\">Davide Zampini<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/authored-by\/Lopez\/Jeffrey\">Jeffrey Lopez<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/authored-by\/Rotta+Loria\/Alessandro+F.\">Alessandro F. Rotta Loria<\/a>; First published:\u00a018 March 2025; <em>Wiley Advanced Sustainable Systems<\/em>; <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/adsu.202400943\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/adsu.202400943<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Using seawater, electricity and carbon dioxide (CO2), Northwestern University scientists have developed a new carbon-negative building material. As Earth\u2019s climate continues to warm, researchers around the globe are exploring ways to capture CO2\u00a0from the air and store it deep underground. While this approach has multiple climate benefits, it does not maximize the value of the [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":160753,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","nova_meta_subtitle":"Innovative process converts CO2 into solid, durable, carbon-trapping materials","footnotes":""},"categories":[5572],"tags":[18416,12430,10744,21452,13553,11749,23080],"supplier":[19308,3930],"class_list":["post-160699","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bio-based","tag-biocement","tag-buildingmaterial","tag-carboncapture","tag-carbonstorage","tag-concrete","tag-construction","tag-constructionmaterial","supplier-cemex","supplier-northwestern-university"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160699","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=160699"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160699\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/160753"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=160699"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=160699"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=160699"},{"taxonomy":"supplier","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/supplier?post=160699"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}