Electrochemical Cement Manufacturing:
How can we decarbonize the cement industry?
Using water and basic chemistry, the carbon footprint of the cement industry could be dramatically reduced.
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Cement is fundamental in making concrete, the world's most used material aside from water. Vital in constructing buildings, infrastructure, and transport links, it plays a crucial role in societal and economic development. Concrete's ingredients are widely available and affordable, contributing to its popularity. Known for its strength, durability, and resistance to elements like fire and floods, concrete's versatility allows for the realization of diverse, large-scale projects. Cement, the key component of concrete, acts as a binding agent, solidifying aggregates into robust structures.
However, the production of cement comes at a substantial environmental cost as it necessitates significant energy consumption and relies heavily on fossil fuels. In fact, the cement industry is one of the largest contributors to industrial carbon emissions. Through combustion of fossil fuels, the industry also emits other pollutants like SO2, NOx, CO, mercury, etc. While the cement industry works within regulations to control these emissions, significant work still needs to be done. Electrochemical cement manufacturing is one way to produce cement while drastically reducing emissions of these pollutants and greenhouse gasses. This production pathway creates cementitious materials via the electrolysis of water, thereby eliminating the need for fossil fuels. Other useful side-products are also created using the electrochemical pathway, thereby making the process even more attractive.
In this module, we will first provide a broad introduction to the cement industry. Then, we will briefly explain how cement is manufactured conventionally and through the electrochemical process. Next, we will describe environmental and economic considerations of cement manufacturing. Here, we will also list other decarbonization techniques being pursued by the cement industry. Finally, we will look into the viability of the novel production pathway through the lens of building codes and social acceptance.
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