Reduced-carbon footprint concrete compositions

• US 7,815,880 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2009
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arelac, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Calera Corporation
• Inventors: Youngs, Andrew, Holland, Terence C., Constantz, Brent R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Drodge; Joseph W
• Application Number:
  US12/604,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20100083880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 362 Days
• Field of Search: 210/702, 210/710, 210/714, 210/717, 210/718, 210/723, 210/724, 210/726, 210768-774, 210/806, 210/748, 210/749, 423/170, 423/184, 423/430, 423/431, 423/437.1, 423/438, 423/439, 423/441, 423/155, 423/165, 423/173, 423/220, 423/232, 423/158, 423/419.1, 106/461, 106/462, 106713-715, 106/718, 106/723, 106/738, 106/739, 106/638, 106811-819, 204/157.47, 204/515, 588/252, 588/2, 588/257, 588/251, 588/400
• US Class Current: 423/220
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/60 Preparation of carbonates or bicarbonates in general of percarbonates C01B15/10; of specific carbonates or bicarbonates according to the cation C01B-C01G
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/0086 Chelating or complexing agents
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 7/02 Portland cement
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 7/367 Avoiding or minimising carbon dioxide emissions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 40/18 Carbon capture and storage [CCS]

Abstract

Reduced-carbon footprint concrete compositions, and methods for making and using the same, are provided. Aspects of the reduced-carbon footprint concrete compositions include CO₂-sequestering carbonate compounds, which may be present in the hydraulic cement and/or aggregate components of the concrete. The reduced-carbon footprint concrete compositions find use in a variety of applications, including use in a variety of building materials and building applications.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a) producing synthetic carbonates from a divalent cation-containing solution and an industrial waste gas comprising CO₂;

b) producing from the synthetic carbonates

i) a first material comprising a supplementary cementitious material comprising carbonates, bicarbonates, or a combination thereof, wherein the supplementary cementitious material reacts with a hydraulic cement composition, and additionally

ii) a second material comprising a concrete component comprising carbonates, bicarbonates, or a combination thereof selected from the group consisting of cement, aggregate, and pozzolanic material; and

c) incorporating the supplementary cementitious material into a concrete composition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the synthetic carbonates comprise aragonite, hydromagnesite, monohydrocalcite, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the synthetic carbonates have a δ

¹³C less than −

10‰

.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the synthetic carbonates have a δ

¹³C less than −

20‰

.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the synthetic carbonates have a δ

¹³C less than −

30‰

.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising incorporating the concrete component into the concrete composition.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the concrete component comprises aggregate.

8. The method of claim 1 or claim 6, further comprising determining a carbon footprint for the concrete composition, wherein determining the carbon footprint consists essentially of the steps of

i) multiplying the number of pounds of a concrete component per cubic yard of the concrete component by the number of pounds of carbon dioxide per pound of the concrete component to obtain a multiplication product;

ii) repeating step i) for each concrete component in the concrete composition;

iii) summing the one or more multiplication products corresponding to the concrete composition to obtain the carbon footprint for the concrete composition.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the concrete composition is a reduced-carbon concrete composition, such that a cubic yard of the reduced-carbon footprint concrete composition has a carbon footprint that is less than a carbon footprint of a cubic yard of an ordinary Portland concrete composition consisting essentially of ordinary Portland cement produced by a process of calcining a carbonate source, water, fine aggregate, and coarse aggregate, the carbon footprint for the ordinary Portland concrete composition being as determined in steps i)-iii) of claim 8.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the reduced-carbon footprint concrete composition has a carbon footprint that is at least 25% less than the carbon footprint of the ordinary Portland concrete composition.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the reduced-carbon footprint concrete composition has a carbon footprint that is at least 50% less than the carbon footprint of the ordinary Portland concrete composition.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the reduced-carbon footprint concrete composition has a carbon footprint that is at least 75% less than the carbon footprint of the ordinary Portland concrete composition.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the reduced-carbon footprint concrete composition has a carbon footprint that is neutral.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the reduced-carbon footprint concrete composition has a carbon footprint that is negative.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the negative carbon footprint is −

250 lbs CO₂/yd³ or less.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the negative carbon footprint is −

500 lbs CO₂/yd³ or less.