Reactivating recycled hydrated cement into a value-added cementitious material using CO2

The mineralization of CO₂ from industrial emissions using hydrated cement components, primarily sourced from abundant end-of-life concrete or other waste concrete materials, could provide a unique pathway for reducing GHG emissions associated with the construction industry. Calcium silicate hydrates, along with other hydrated and unhydrated clinker phases, undergo dissolution- precipitation reactions, forming stable calcium carbonates and amorphous decalcified silicate-rich phases, which can be utilized as supplementary cementitious materials. This work demonstrates the characteristics of CO₂ mineralization in hydrated cement paste materials and the resulting products.