Horizon Europe

CONTRABASS - zero-CO2 cemeNt ThRough cArBonation of cAlcium Silicates and aluminateS

Specific programme: HORIZON TMA MSCA Doctoral Networks
UPV/EHU Partner Status: Coordinator
UPV/EHU PI: Hegoi Manzano

Project start: 01/01/2024
Project end: 31/12/2027

Brief description: We live in a world of concrete. According to the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) cement is consumed at a rate of ~150 tonnes each second, and it accounts for approximately 8% of all CO2 emissions and 7% of industry energy use. In order to mitigate the negative environmental impacts of concrete, Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) is the best available strategy: the GCCA estimates that CCU technologies will represent up to 42% of the CO2 reductions necessary to reach the net zero industrial objective in 2050.

The CONTRABASS MSCADN will act in this framework, in the pathway towards the zero-CO2 cement and concrete production, building a high-quality doctorate network (DN) to investigate the fundamental physico-chemical processes governing the Carbonation of the clinker phases and the cement paste, as well as the subsequent formation of Calcium Carbonate Cements (CCCs). The carbonation ability of clinker and cement is well known, yet for a full implementation of CCCs by 2050, there is an urgent need of fundamental knowledge on the carbonation process. In this scenario, the CONTRABASS DN aims to contribute to the global reduction of CO2 emissions by accelerating the implementation of Calcium Carbonate Cements, developing fundamental knowledge, practical know-how, and a generation of well-trained specialists to overcome the main challenges identified by our industrial and academic partners. CONTRABASS has 5 main objectives:

  1. To identify the carbonation mechanisms of the clinker components, specially calcium aluminates
  2. To understand the carbonation processes of the C-S-H gel and the cement paste
  3. To unravel the factors that govern CaCO3 polymorphism, nucleation and growth rates
  4. To build databases for thermodynamic and reactive-transport modelling of carbonation
  5. To communicate effectively the benefits of CCCs to society, media and policy makers.

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