Around 2,000 years ago the Roman Empire was known as probably one of the first users of cement which was naturally occurring and used to construct aqueducts as well as other larger edifices back then however carbon dioxide emissions was not an issue. Scientists believe that carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced through proper study of cement’s basic structure. Scientists have managed to thoroughly analyze the basic molecular structure of many natural materials and as a result created a completely new set of materials. This will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide emissions are the number one reason why there is so much focus on developing clean cement. Read more about Guide to CO2 Capture, Sequestration, and Storage

The problem that has been eluding scientists for decades is the three dimensional crystalline structure of what is called cement hydrate. They have had problems finding out what really hardens the paste when water is mixed with the powder. This was considered to be key to eliminating carbon dioxide emissions. This fact has managed to elude scientists despite the fact that cement is the most prevalent material in man made constructions on earth and also a multi billion dollar industry that has environmentalists demanding to clean up its act by eliminating carbon dioxide emissions. Today cement manufacturing in the world is responsible for 5% of all the carbon dioxide emissions in the world. The problem is that the new emission standards which have been proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency could possibly push the manufacture of cement into third world or developing countries where there is no cap on carbon dioxide emissions.

According to MIT Professor Sidney Yip cement is such a necessary material that it cannot be replaced anytime soon. However the carbon dioxide emissions problems need to be addressed so the material should be understood. Scientists have always believed that at an atomic level the cement hydrate we know so commonly would probably resemble tobermorite which is a rare mineral. This mineral has an ordered geometry which is primarily consisting of many layers of endless chains of silica molecules having three arms also called silica tetrahedral which is also interspersed with layers of calcium oxide. This is something that is being manufactured without carbon dioxide emissions.

According to the team’s finding at MIT the calcium-silica-hydrate found in cement is not in crystal form. It’s actually a hybrid that has the same characteristics like crystalline structures and also resembles some that have amorphous structure such as those in frozen liquids like in glass as well as ice. This can probably give scientists some insight into how carbon dioxide emissions can be eliminated.

The research into cement is actually funded by Cimpor Corp which is a Portuguese cement manufacturer. The research has been enabled though the MIT-Portugal Program. According to the researchers now that they know and better understand cement it will give them a way to alter its composition in order to eliminate carbon dioxide emissions during its manufacturing phase. The less carbon dioxide emissions there are the better it’s going to be for everyone regardless of where in the world the cement is manufactured. The new carbon dioxide emissions-free cement will also be in accordance to the new proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emissions policy.