Come produrre cemento "Carbon Free" grazie al Sole. Una ricerca della George Washington University di Ashburn (Virginia)

Attualmente per ogni 10 kg di cemento prodotto vengono rilasciati 9 kg di anidride carbonica. In un articolo pubblicato il 5 aprile 2012 su rivista Chemical Communication, Stuart Licht e altri sei ricercatori della George Washington University di Ashburn (Virginia, USA) illustrano il loro metodo di produzione di cemento da fonte solare.


STEP Cement: Solar Thermal Electrochemical Production of CaO without CO2 emission

Stuart Licht, Hongjun Wu, Chaminda Hettige,  Baohui Wang,  Joseph Asercion, Jason Lau, Jessica Stuart

Abstract
New molten salt chemistry allows solar thermal energy to drive calcium oxide production without any carbon dioxide emission. This is accomplished in a one pot synthesis, and at lower projected cost than the existing cement industry process, which after power production, is the largest contributor to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.

The Licht research group has taken on the challenge of a comprehensive solution to climate change. We’re working towards changing today’s fossil fuel, to a renewable chemical economy, replacing the largest greenhouse gas emitters, including iron & fuel production, by new, inexpensive, solar, CO2-free, chemistries.