Mexican scientists create sustainable ash-based cement

Investigators from the Research and Advanced Studies Center (CINVESTAV) , Saltillo unit, have proposed to use volcanic ash to create an eco-friendly cement with properties similar to those of Portland type cement .

“Cement is the most marketed material on the planet, second only to water, and is generally based on Portland cement, the production of which generates between 8 and 10% of anthropogenic CO2 at the global scale,” stated José Iván Escalante García, the project leader .

For four years, Escalante’s team has developed 15 ecological alternatives to Portland cement. The CINVESTAV investigator considered that due to its abundance, low cost, chemical composition, and the amorphous nature of its atomic structure, volcanic ash was ideal to create this new type of cement.

“The ash is passed through a mill and some alkaline activators and sulfates are added, which results in a chemical activation of the materials on contact with water, thus forming cementing chemical compounds that can be applied in engineering and construction.

As for the characteristics of the material, the ash-based cement is not only cheap in terms of production, but has also been found to be similar to Portland cement in its cementing properties, according to a series of trials conducted at CINVESTAV, Saltillo unit .

“If we consider that the construction industry goes hand-in-hand with the constant population growth in urban areas, cement production is likely to have a larger environmental impact in the next few years. This is why we urgently need sustainable alternatives to Portland cement,” Escalante concluded.

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