From Carbon Dioxide to Building Materials – Improving Process Efficiency

Technical Report

1 March 2022

Paul Fennell, Niall Mac Dowell , Ruper Jacob Myers, Justin Driver, Piera Patrizio, Ellina Bernard

Citation: IEAGHG, "From Carbon Dioxide to Building Materials - Improving Process Efficiency ", 2022-04, March 2022.

Publication Overview

IEAGHG commissioned a study to investigate how captured CO₂ can be used in building materials. It also explored the processes that are used to capture this CO₂ and includes case studies where these processes are happening. The work has evaluated CO₂ utilisation in the context of cement and concrete production by looking into the effects of carbonation on material utilisation and the design of a potential carbonation plant. The market analysis and market pull of carbonated building products is also covered.

Publication Summary

Accelerated carbonation products have the potential to be used as aggregates, fillers, reactive fillers, and supplementary cementitious materials (SCM).
Carbonation is a relatively expensive method of CO₂ utilisation unless there is substantial avoided cost associated with raw material disposal.
There is a degree of discrepancy between theoretical and experimental uptake rates for different materials. The measured CO₂ uptake is significantly lower than an estimation based solely on composition.
It is important to consider the inherent trade-offs between each potential use – carbonating materials or use as an SCM.
In many cases, carbonated materials should be preferentially used as a supplementary cementitious material or otherwise blended in to cement where possible.
Non-Portland cementitious materials are frequently carbonated and can be used as an additive to cement and contribute to strength development in the final product. Note that the total amount of CO₂ present in the cement should generally not be too high as it can reduce the pH of the cement binder and dilute its cementitious properties.
Natural carbonation processes will occur which will reduce the additionality of accelerated carbonation.
Carbonation can act as a waste treatment process, stabilising heavy metals.
The main driver for carbonation processes is the avoidance of landfill costs where applicable.
Current market prices suggest that the market for carbonated products is limited and will be closely linked to robust CO₂ pricing mechanisms that recognise and value the mitigation service of carbonation.
Further research is needed both to understand the potentials of more novel carbonated materials to store CO₂, and their production processes, as well as to understand their material properties.
There is currently insufficient pull from the construction industry for carbonated or low carbon emission produced products.

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