In a significant step towards sustainable construction, IISc researchers under a multilateral project have pioneered breakthrough materials and processes that could bring down the building industry’s carbon emissions. Innovative low carbon construction materials developed using 3D printing technology can now be used for carbon sequestration and utilisation to reduce carbon emissions in the building industry are in line with the National “netzero” targets by 2070. “India’s cement and brick manufacturing sectors contribute a staggering 200 to 250 million tonne of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually, a challenge that becomes ever more pressing as India commits to achieving “net-zero” emissions.
The mission to realise sustainable, low-carbon construction depends on two critical goals: reducing the reliance on mined resources and curbing the CO2 emissions inherent in material production, known as embodied carbon,” the department of science and technology (DST) said
At the forefront of this innovative endeavour lies the concept of “accelerated carbonation curing”, it said, adding that this process leverages CO2-rich industrial flue gases to mineralise carbonates within construction materials, creating a stable and permanent means of CO2 storage. “IISc researchers under a multilateral project funded jointly by DST under the Trans-national platform of Accelerating CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage) technologies, have pioneered breakthrough materials and processes that could bring down the building industry’s carbon emissions,” DST said.
IISc’s Centre for Sustainable Technologies has utilised 3D printable material formulations utilising industrial byproducts, including construction and demolition wastes (CDW), blast furnace slag, and fly ash for carbon sequestration. The 3D printable material formulations have the potential to be used in fabricating walls, slabs, and various other building components. “The developed material, utilising an optimised process of accelerated carbonation curing, can store 35% to 40% of CO2 by mass of cement.
The exact percentage depends on factors such as density, curing conditions, and mixture formulation. An additional benefit is the formation of small crystals of carbonate minerals during the sequestration process, which enhances the engineering performance of the material,” DST added. The 3D printing team is driving the development of lowcarbon construction materials capable of capturing substantial volumes of CO2 from industrial streams, aligning seamlessly with the DST-CCUS and Accelerating CCS Technologies programs.
Beyond its role in transforming buildings into ‘carbon sinks’, this technology also offers a solution to the challenges associated with managing construction and demolition waste (CDW) and other by-products, DST said, adding that the consortium is actively engaging with industries to expedite the technology’s scale-up process and explore direct CO2 sequestration opportunities from flue streams.
