Real-time chemical studies of sustainable cement carbonation

Full description

The production of conventional Portland cements accounts for up to 8% of global CO₂ emissions. Approximately 40% of this CO₂ comes from the energy expended by heating the raw limestone and clays needed to produce the cement, while the remaining 60% is released from the carbonates trapped within the limestone. Unfortunately, only a small fraction of this released CO₂ is re-captured when cements are hardened through standard hydration processes. To reduce net CO₂ emissions, a growing number of researchers and start-up companies (e.g., CarbonCure, Solidia, Fortera) are working to set cements through a combination of hydration and carbonation to re-capture released CO₂. However, the carbonation of cements is a poorly understood phenomenon that can proceed through surprisingly complex multi-step pathways.

Following from previous studies within the lab on the evolving structure of cements, the aim of this internship is to investigate chemical changes that occur within the cement pore solution during carbonation. The environment of cements will be carefully controlled by utilizing microfluidic devices, and reactions will be monitored using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy/imaging and fluorescence. These techniques will enable us to evaluate the pH during the curing of different sustainable cement formulations, an important parameter related to the final phase composition and durability of concrete.

Location

CEA Saclay, Site de l’Orme des merisiers (91) Essonne, France

Internship conditions

• Internship duration: 6 months
• Level of study: Bac+5
• Training: Master 2
• Continuation in PhD thesis: Yes
• Application deadline: 3 février 2025

Supervisor

Mark LEVENSTEIN
Phone: +33 1 69 08 57 34
Email :