Biomass ash (BA) waste as an activator to produce carbon-negative cement

The use of biomass, as a renewable energy source, to run heating and power plants is propelled by sustainable European policy. Olive is an important resource in Mediterranean countries. The residues from the extraction of olive oil are used as biomass, either to produce the oil or to generate heat o...

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Main Authors: Zehao Lei, Sara Pavia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Cement
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666549224000215
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author Zehao Lei
Sara Pavia
author_facet Zehao Lei
Sara Pavia
author_sort Zehao Lei
collection DOAJ
description The use of biomass, as a renewable energy source, to run heating and power plants is propelled by sustainable European policy. Olive is an important resource in Mediterranean countries. The residues from the extraction of olive oil are used as biomass, either to produce the oil or to generate heat or electricity. The disposal of ash residue poses an important burden. This study uses olive pit bottom ash waste (OBA) to produce carbon-negative cement. The OBA is mixed with waste GGBS (GGBS), and neither calcination nor thermal curing are used to lower environmental impact.The cements produced contain up to 60 %OBA and have a carbon sequestration capacity up to -97.45 kg CO2e/m3. An optimum mix with 40 %OBA is developed (using auxiliary activator), with compressive strength of 36–44 MPa and a carbon sequestration capacity of 40–45 kg CO2/m3. A modified loss on ignition test is proposed to evaluate the embodied carbon of biomass ash.The OBA's main chemical constituents: K2O and CaO, afford outstanding activation and alkalinity to release Ca2+ Si4+ and Al3+ from GGBS to form calcite, hydrotalcite, C-(A)-S-H and amorphous cements. Using sodium carbonate (NC) and lime as supplementary activators enhanced the mechanical properties of the cements and slightly changed their composition and microstructure. NC is the most efficient activator, it increased dissolution, and produced a denser and stronger cement with higher Si and K concentration that includes gaylussite, N-A-S-H and C(K)-A-S-H. Pre-dissolving the NC prior to mixing increases the activator's efficiency, producing less calcite cement for the same amount of NC. By adding 4 % pre-dissolved NC, the compressive strength increased by 138.76 % (compared to OBA-GGBS mortar without auxiliary activators) and 113.94 % compared to the material with NC in powder form.
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spelling doaj-art-ebc12a987e24478280abc3ffac3e381a2025-08-20T02:38:03ZengElsevierCement2666-54922024-12-011810011210.1016/j.cement.2024.100112Biomass ash (BA) waste as an activator to produce carbon-negative cementZehao Lei0Sara Pavia1Department of Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, IrelandCorresponding author.; Department of Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, IrelandThe use of biomass, as a renewable energy source, to run heating and power plants is propelled by sustainable European policy. Olive is an important resource in Mediterranean countries. The residues from the extraction of olive oil are used as biomass, either to produce the oil or to generate heat or electricity. The disposal of ash residue poses an important burden. This study uses olive pit bottom ash waste (OBA) to produce carbon-negative cement. The OBA is mixed with waste GGBS (GGBS), and neither calcination nor thermal curing are used to lower environmental impact.The cements produced contain up to 60 %OBA and have a carbon sequestration capacity up to -97.45 kg CO2e/m3. An optimum mix with 40 %OBA is developed (using auxiliary activator), with compressive strength of 36–44 MPa and a carbon sequestration capacity of 40–45 kg CO2/m3. A modified loss on ignition test is proposed to evaluate the embodied carbon of biomass ash.The OBA's main chemical constituents: K2O and CaO, afford outstanding activation and alkalinity to release Ca2+ Si4+ and Al3+ from GGBS to form calcite, hydrotalcite, C-(A)-S-H and amorphous cements. Using sodium carbonate (NC) and lime as supplementary activators enhanced the mechanical properties of the cements and slightly changed their composition and microstructure. NC is the most efficient activator, it increased dissolution, and produced a denser and stronger cement with higher Si and K concentration that includes gaylussite, N-A-S-H and C(K)-A-S-H. Pre-dissolving the NC prior to mixing increases the activator's efficiency, producing less calcite cement for the same amount of NC. By adding 4 % pre-dissolved NC, the compressive strength increased by 138.76 % (compared to OBA-GGBS mortar without auxiliary activators) and 113.94 % compared to the material with NC in powder form.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666549224000215Olive pitBiomass ashCarbon sequestrationCarbon-negative cementGGBS
spellingShingle Zehao Lei
Sara Pavia
Biomass ash (BA) waste as an activator to produce carbon-negative cement
Cement
Olive pit
Biomass ash
Carbon sequestration
Carbon-negative cement
GGBS
title Biomass ash (BA) waste as an activator to produce carbon-negative cement
title_full Biomass ash (BA) waste as an activator to produce carbon-negative cement
title_fullStr Biomass ash (BA) waste as an activator to produce carbon-negative cement
title_full_unstemmed Biomass ash (BA) waste as an activator to produce carbon-negative cement
title_short Biomass ash (BA) waste as an activator to produce carbon-negative cement
title_sort biomass ash ba waste as an activator to produce carbon negative cement
topic Olive pit
Biomass ash
Carbon sequestration
Carbon-negative cement
GGBS
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666549224000215
work_keys_str_mv AT zehaolei biomassashbawasteasanactivatortoproducecarbonnegativecement
AT sarapavia biomassashbawasteasanactivatortoproducecarbonnegativecement