CAER seeks to utilize carbon dioxide in creating next-generation cements, concrete

Concrete is the most widely used man-made material on Earth, second only to water as the most-consumed resource on the planet. And, concrete production is responsible for 8% of the world’s carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.

The University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy (CAER) Cementitious Materials Group develops and tests cements and concretes, seeking more environmentally friendly solutions for the future. CAER’s researchers are exploring a new way to utilize CO₂ to improve the performance of cement and concrete.

Through this innovative project, and with support from PPL Corporation, CAER researchers are finding a way to use some of that CO₂ through a new technology. The Center is developing a novel calcium-based sorbent — a material that picks up and retains liquid — to mineralize the CO₂, which enhances the reactivity of the resulting powdered product. The sorbent is deployed using traditional spray dryer technology and coupled with high CO₂ emitting industrial processes to create a high-performance material.

The hope is that this reactive powder will enhance the hydration and strength performance of standard cements, mortars and concretes.

“Eliminating greenhouse gas emissions from sources and processes readily used in the world today, such as electricity generation, transportation and manufacturing, requires research into innovative technologies that can capture and permanently store carbon dioxide,” said Aron Patrick, PPL director of Research and Development and a member of the UK CAER Advisory Board. “Concrete is ubiquitous in modern society and offers tremendous potential for permanent carbon sequestration.”

“Everyone who works in the cement and concrete space is aware of the concerns with carbon dioxide,” said Bob Jewell, associate director of CAER’s Cementitious Materials Group. “It’s a major challenge facing the industry. Our group is committed to creating more sustainable cement and concrete manufacturing processes, and this project holds great promise.

“I thank our project collaborators – PPL Corporation – for working with us on this endeavor. Innovation requires many partners, and the team at PPL has been both encouraging and supportive along the way. We appreciate their commitment to our work here at CAER.”

This is one of PPL’s more than 150 research and development projects currently underway. The company and its subsidiaries are pursuing a comprehensive clean energy strategy focused on driving innovation and advancing technologies that can be scaled safely, reliably and affordably. This includes carbon capture and sequestration technologies.

The title of the project is “Innovative Design of a Sorbent-Mineralization Technology, Addressing Industrial CO₂ Capture for Value-Added Industrial Byproducts.”

PPL is a leading U.S. energy company focused on providing electricity and natural gas safely, reliably and affordably to more than 3.5 million customers in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Virginia. PPL’s high-performing, award-winning utilities Kentucky Utilities Company, Louisville Gas and Electric Company, PPL Electric Utilities and Rhode Island Energy  — are addressing energy challenges head-on by building smarter, more resilient and more dynamic power grids and advancing sustainable energy solutions.

Visit pplweb.com/research to learn more about innovative research projects happening across PPL’s companies.