Researchers from the University of Cambridge gave birth to the so -called “electric cement“, A material whose name derives from the use of the electric arc ovens. The study Electric Recycling of Portland Cement at Scaland, published in the magazine Nature, It was conducted by Cyrille F. Dunant, Shiju Joseph, Rohit Prajapati and Julian M. Allwood. This technology if applied on a large scale promises to revolutionize the sector, offering a sustainable and scalable solution for the production of zero -emission cement. Before understanding why this material could be so innovative, it is necessary to spend two words on clinker, the basic component of the concrete.
The clinker and the problem of decarbonation
The clinkerfundamental element of Portland cementwas born from a transformation process that begins with the selection and preparation of raw materials: limestone And clay. These materials, after being extracted, are carefully crushed and ground until one is obtained very fine dust And homogeneous. The mixture of limestone and clay, dosed with precision, is then introduced into a rotating ovenwhere it reaches very high temperatures, around 1450 ° C. In this intense heat environment, a series of complex chemical reactions takes place, which lead to the formation of the clinker, a dark gray granular material.
Once the cooking is completed, the clinker is subjected to a quick coolingessential to preserve its structural characteristics. Finally, the cooled clinker is finely ground and mixed with a small amount of plasterwhich has the function of adjust the concrete socket time. The final result of this process is in fact the Portland cement, a hydraulic binder widely used in the construction sector.
The old concrete as a resource for the future: the new procedure
The great advantage of electric cement lies in the use of the old concrete like “flow” in the Electric arc ovensusing this material for replace limestone initially employed. In fact, with this procedure, a very useful by -product is produced, the so -called “reactivated” cement. In particular, the resulting waste, if quickly cooled, produce a new high -quality Portland cement, ready to be reused. This circular procedure drastically reduces addiction to virgin raw materials, and allows you to transform the concrete production procedure into a much more sustainable and economically advantageous process.
One of the strengths of this procedure is his scalability and his sustainability. The “electric cement”, so defined by scholars of the University of Cambridge, would be produced through the use of existing technologies and the use of electricity deriving from Sustainable and renewable sources. All would guarantee the almost total absence of CO emissions2 during the whole process.
On an experimental level, according to the sources of the University of Cambridge, they were produced 66 tons of “electric” concrete in sun Two hours.
A high sustainability future for the construction sector
Cambridge technology, if patented and used on large scalewould open the doors to a High sustainability future. The ability to produce cement a zero emissionsrecycling existing materials and exploiting renewable energies, offers a concrete solution to reduce the carbon imprint of the construction sector. With the potential to produce a billion tons of “electric cement” by 2050this technology could revolutionize industry and significantly contribute to the fight against climate change.
