A CO2 removal technology based on mineral carbonation and the stability of product carbon storage in a cement matrix

Abstract

Toward a decarbonized society, the cement industry is continuously striving to enforce energy conservation technologies and develop low-carbon cement. The use of mineral carbonation in the cement and concrete sector and the associated value chain are central in the carbon recycling system, and the importance of CO2 removal technologies has been recognized. This paper proposes a mineral direct air carbon capture and storage in product technology newly designed by a mineral carbon capture reactor through direct feeding of atmospheric CO2. Additionally, a novel concrete mix for use as CO2-storing (CDS) concrete is proposed. This mix contains recarbonates generated using treated water with high Ca content at a ready-mixed concrete plant. The CDS concrete, with a recarbonate content in the range of 2–10% of cement, exhibited very similar initial and mechanical properties compared with ordinary concrete. The CO2 release from the recarbonate in a cement matrix under acidic corrosion and the thermal decomposition were assessed, and the findings are discussed.