Methods and compositions using calcium carbonate

• US 8,137,455 B1
• Filed: 10/21/2011
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arelac, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Calera Corporation
• Inventors: Constantz, Brent R., Farsad, Kasra, Camire, Chris, Patterson, Joshua, Ginder-Vogel, Matthew, Yaccato, Karin, Stagnaro, John, Devenney, Martin, Ries, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Anthony J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hijji, Karam
• Application Number:
  US13/278,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20120073474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 151 Days
• Field of Search: 106/738, 106/713, 106/761, 106/817, 106/463, 423/430, 264/333
• US Class Current: 106/738
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/404 of calcium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/0233 from cement factories
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/28 of calcium
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/02 containing hydraulic cements other than calcium sulfates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/04 Portland cements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 40/10 Production of cement, e.g. improving or optimising the production methods; Cement grinding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 264/43 Processes of curing clay and concrete materials

Abstract

Provided herein are compositions and methods including hydraulic cement, supplementary cementitious material, and/or self-cementing material. Methods for making the compositions and using the compositions are provided.

Claims

1. A method for making a composition, comprising:

(a) contacting a solution comprising a proton removing agent with a CO₂ gaseous stream to produce a CO₂ charged solution;

(b) contacting the CO₂ charged solution with an alkaline earth-metal containing water; and

(c) subjecting the alkaline earth-metal containing water of step (b) to one or more conditions to make a self-cementing composition wherein the self-cementing composition comprises at least 1% w/w vaterite having a carbon isotopic fractionation value (δ

¹³C) of between −

12‰

to −

25‰

, wherein the composition is in saltwater, and wherein the composition upon setting and hardening has a compressive strength of at least 14 MPa.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the CO₂ gaseous stream is an industrial waste stream comprising flue gas from combustion;

a flue gas from a chemical processing plant;

a flue gas from a plant that produces CO₂ as a byproduct;

or combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the alkaline earth-metal containing water is sea water, brine, or combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more conditions are selected from the group consisting of temperature, pH, precipitation, residence time of the precipitate, dewatering of the precipitate, washing the precipitate with water, drying, milling, and storage.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises between 20% w/w to 99% w/w vaterite.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the proton removing agent is selected from the group consisting of oxide, hydroxide, carbonate, coal ash, naturally occurring mineral, and combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the proton removing agent is hydroxide made by an electrochemical process.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the self-cementing composition comprises less than 90% by wt solid material.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method does not require dewatering the composition.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method does not require drying the composition.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises pouring the composition into molds to form formed building materials.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises rinsing the composition with water.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the self-cementing composition comprises between 50% w/w to 100% w/w vaterite.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the alkaline earth-metal containing water comprises calcium chloride.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises adding Portland cement, aggregate, supplementary cementitious material (SCM), or combination thereof, to the composition.