Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a new method to turn carbon dioxide into useful materials for cement production, offering a potential solution to reduce industrial waste and emissions.
Carbon dioxide is a common atmospheric pollutant that can be used to create cement precursors. A team led by chemist Charles McCrory used polymers to control the area around a lead catalyst, reducing the amount of lead needed to just parts per billion. This approach enables the production of metal oxalates, which can be used as an alternative to traditional cement.
The process involves capturing carbon dioxide and converting it into oxalate through electrolysis. The team then uses a system with two electrodes to separate the solid metal oxalate from the solution. Once collected, the metal oxalate can be mixed in as part of the cement-making process.
“This research shows how we can take carbon dioxide, which is a waste product that is of little-to-zero value, and upcycle it into something valuable,” said McCrory. “We’re not just taking carbon dioxide and burying it; we’re taking it from different point sources and repurposing it for something useful.”
The method has potential applications in reducing industrial emissions and creating new materials. With further research and scaling up, the team aims to explore how to use this process to produce solid material with downstream applications.
According to McCrory, once carbon dioxide is turned into a metal oxalate, it cannot easily return to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide under normal conditions. This “true capture process” not only reduces emissions but also produces a valuable and useful material that can be used in cement production.
Source: https://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=35761