Incorporating Carbon Dioxide into Portland Cement Concrete

Abstract

The significant increase in the global carbon footprint is detrimental to the planet. Within this context, this study explores the possibility of trapping carbon dioxide into concrete in a permanent manner. The process of trapping carbon dioxide into concrete involves a chemical reaction between hydrated cement and carbon dioxide. This reaction results in the transformation of carbon dioxide into nano in-situ particles of calcium carbonate. Trapping carbon dioxide in concrete can be beneficial to both the environment as well as the construction industry since the strength properties of the resulting concrete are maintained, if not improved. To meet the objective of this study, various concrete mixtures were prepared, incorporating different forms and dosages of carbon dioxide. The produced concrete was assessed for its fresh concrete properties through tests such as slump, slump retention, temperature, unit weight, and air content, as well as hardened concrete properties such as compressive strength and flexural strength. The resulting concrete’s chemical properties were examined through specialized tests namely, chemical resistance analysis, pH meter, and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX). This work provides a better understanding of the properties of concrete incorporating carbon dioxide along with potentially finding good ways of making use of carbon dioxide waste in the construction industry. The results show that carbon dioxide has been successfully trapped in the concrete mix, thereby contributing to a healthier environment by reducing the carbon footprint.