In the first of a two-part white paper series, Solidia Technologies detailed the chemical properties, manufacture and performance qualities of a sustainable cement that, combined with its concrete counterpart, can reduce the carbon footprint of cement and concrete products up to 70 percent. Made from the same raw materials and equipment as traditional, ordinary portland cement, Solidia Cement is adaptable to a wide variety of cement formulations and production methods, offering portland cement manufacturers a sustainable and performance-enhancing alternative.
The white paper was co-authored by Solidia Technologies’ Principal Scientist Sada Sahu, Ph. D. and Chief Technology Officer Nicholas DeCristofaro, Ph.D. “For more than 50 years, scientists have tried to cure concrete with CO2 knowing the resulting product would be stronger and more stable. Solidia Technologies is the first to make this commercially viable,” said Dr. DeCristofaro. “Our current focus is testing additional applications with an even wider variety of concrete formulations and manufacture methods to facilitate adoption across the globe.”
Solidia Cement clinker is produced at a temperature of 1,200˚ C, approximately 250˚ C lower than OPC clinker. The cement is a non-hydraulic material that is composed primarily of low-lime-containing calcium silicate phases such as wollastonite/pseudowollastonite (CaO.SiO2) and rankinite (3CaO.2SiO2). The setting and hardening characteristics are derived from the reaction between CO2 and the calcium silicates. During the carbonation process, calcite (CaCO3) and silica (SiO2) form and are responsible for the concrete strength development.
Solidia’s ongoing technology and product development is reinforced by third-party research collaboration and testing. Current collaborations include additional research in concrete applications with global cement giant Lafarge as well as a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration to examine transportation infrastructure applications at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, a U.S. Federal laboratory. The original generation of the technology was developed at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.
Solidia Concrete will be explored in a companion paper to be released this month.
