From Clinker to Clay: Building a More Sustainable Cement Foundation

Whether it is common tableware used at home or globally renowned artworks, important objects are irreplaceable. Our planet is one such thing. And this poses a critical challenge for the cement industry, which accounts for approximately 8% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and faces the challenge of producing more sustainable cement.

One of the main factors contributing to the high emissions from cement production is the use of clinker. For instance, in cement containing 95% clinker, 62% of CO2 emissions arise from the calcination of limestone for clinker production. Fortunately, clinker is replaceable.

A Game Changer? Cement Admixtures SCMs

Indeed, various supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as calcined clay, fly ash, blast furnace slag, limestone fillers, and natural pozzolans can partially replace clinker. Given their significant impact on CO2 emissions, evaluating the properties of SCMs is highly important.

For example, using calcined clay to lower the clinker-to-cement ratio (the so-called clinker factor) to 50:50 can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 40%, electricity consumption by up to 30%, and fuel consumption by up to 40%. Furthermore, as if the environmental advantages weren’t motivation enough, clay is readily available worldwide. While other SCMs are becoming increasingly expensive and harder to obtain, clay is a much more attractive option.

Therefore, cement plants tend to leverage calcined clay, also known as kaolinite, to improve sustainability performance and comply with the CEM II standards aligned with the 2°C target. Naturally, it is necessary to carefully blend calcined clay and other SCMs into the cement mix. So, how can one verify the final product quality?

Tabletop X-ray Diffraction Analyzer Aeris

X-ray diffraction (XRD) can monitor and control the purity and quality of cement and its intermediates, enabling a more environmentally friendly production process. Malvern Panalytical offers the tabletop XRD Aeris Cement Edition.

The tabletop XRD Aeris typically provides measurement results within 5-10 minutes. The Aeris Cement Edition is specifically designed for top-class process control and quality assurance in many cement plants, minimizing water and electricity consumption. Aeris is not only applicable for reducing the clinker factor but is also available at various stages of the cement production process, from raw materials and clinker to SCM transformation and blended cement.

For a Sustainable Future…

It is considered important for the modern cement industry to address the challenge of sustainable net-zero by reducing the clinker factor using SCMs such as calcined clay. The tabletop XRD Aeris Cement Edition provides demonstrations and more. Please feel free to contact us if you’re interested.