CO 2 -sequestering formed building materials

• US 8,431,100 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2011
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arelac, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Calera Corporation
• Inventors: Constantz, Brent R., Youngs, Andrew, Holland, Terence C.
• Primary Examiner(s): DRODGE, JOSEPH W
• Application Number:
  US13/191,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20110290156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 522/231, 522/236, 522/238, 522/231.4, 522/234, 522/92, 522/94, 523/091.7, 525/96, 106/463, 106/464, 106/638, 106/644, 106/719, 106/720, 106/724, 106/728, 106/729, 210/652, 210/702, 210/710, 210/806, 423/220, 423/223, 423/232, 423/419.1, 423/420.2, 423/430, 423/431, 423/437.1, 423/438, 423/439, 423/441, 951/49, 952/05
• US Class Current: 423/220
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/0086 Chelating or complexing agents
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00017 Aspects relating to the protection of the environment
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/10 containing carbon in the anion
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/106 Bicarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/02 containing hydraulic cements other than calcium sulfates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/04 Portland cements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2

Abstract

CO₂-sequestering formed building materials are provided. The building materials of the invention include a composition comprising a carbonate/bicarbonate component. Additional aspects of the invention include methods of making and using the CO₂-sequestering formed building material.

Claims

1. A method for producing a formed building material comprising:

a) contacting a gaseous waste stream comprising a CO₂ with water comprising proton removing agent to form a CO₂ charged water;

b) producing a CO₂-sequestering component from a saltwater solution of divalent cations and the CO₂ charged water under one or more of precipitation conditions favoring precipitation of the CO₂-sequestering component comprising a metastable carbonate comprising amorphous calcium carbonate, vaterite, aragonite, or combinations thereof; and

c) forming the formed building material from the CO₂-sequestering component in a process comprising contacting the CO₂-sequestering component with water, wherein the formed building material is selected from the group consisting of

a) a brick having a compressive strength ranging from 5 to 100 MPa;

b) a block having a compressive strength ranging from 5 to 100 MPa;

c) a tile having a compressive strength ranging from 5 to 75 MPa;

d) a cement board having a compressive strength ranging from 5 to 50 MPa;

e) a drywall having a compressive strength ranging from 1 to 20 MPa;

f) a conduit having a compressive strength ranging from 5 to 75 MPa;

g) a beams having a compressive strength ranging from 35 to 150 MPa;

h) a basin having a compressive strength ranging from 5 to 60 MPa;

i) a column having a compressive strength ranging from 25 to 200 MPa;

j) a fiber-cement siding having a compressive strength ranging from 2 to 25 MPa;

k) a slab having a compressive strength ranging from 10 to 100 MPa;

l) acoustic barrier of at least 0.5 m in length; and

m) insulation material.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaseous waste stream further comprises NOx, SOx, VOCs, particulates, mercury, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the formed building material comprises 50% (w/w) CO₂-sequestering component or more.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the CO₂-sequestering component further comprises bicarbonates.

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

¹³C less than −

5‰

.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the CO₂-sequestering component further comprises calcite, ikaite, magnesite, barringtonite, nesquehonite, landfordite, amorphous magnesium carbonate, or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbonates are metastable such that upon contact with freshwater, the carbonates reprecipiate into freshwater stable compounds.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the CO₂-sequestering component further comprises calcium, magnesium, or a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising contacting the CO₂-sequestering component with an additional component selected from the group consisting of clay, shale, soft slate, calcium silicate, quarried stone, Portland cement, fly ash, slag, aggregate, silica fume, pozzolans, and combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the CO₂-sequestering component further comprises co-products of NOx, SOx, VOCs, particulates, mercury, or a combination thereof resulting from conditions used to convert carbon dioxide to carbonates.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the CO₂-sequestering component further comprises sulfates.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein producing the CO₂-sequestering component comprises precipitating the CO₂-sequestering component.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein precipitating the CO₂-sequestering component comprises utilizing a low-voltage electrochemical method for removing protons from the solution of divalent cations and the gaseous waste stream comprising CO₂.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein producing the CO₂-sequestering component further comprises dewatering the CO₂-sequestering component after precipitating the CO₂-sequestering component, and wherein dewatering the CO₂-sequestering component produces a dewatered CO₂-sequestering component.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the dewatered CO₂-sequestering component is directly used in forming the formed building material.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least some water for forming the formed building material is provided by the CO₂-sequestering component.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the building material comprises molding, casting, cutting, extruding, sculpting, rolling, compacting, or some combination thereof, the CO₂-sequestering component.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the formed building material has a carbon footprint that is neutral.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the formed building material has a carbon footprint that is negative.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the formed building material is the drywall.