Scientists Successfully Create Low-Carbon Concrete With Hazardous Material

Scientists Successfully Create , Low-Carbon Concrete , With Hazardous Material.
The Cool Down reports that a recent breakthrough
could help solve a major environmental
problem in the construction industry.
According to a press release from RMIT
University, engineers successfully replaced
80% of the cement in concrete with coal fly ash.
Coal fly ash is a toxic waste
created by burning dirty
fuel in coal-fired plants.
The lead on the project, Dr. Chamila Gunasekara,
said that most low-carbon concretes
usually contain no more than 40% fly ash.
Our addition of nano additives
to modify the concrete's chemistry
allows more fly ash to be
added without compromising
engineering performance. , Dr. Chamila Gunasekara, RMIT project lead, via 'The Guardian'.
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists,
coal plants release pollutants that have
been linked to severe health issues.
Those health issues include heart
problems, neurological disorders,
cancer and premature death. .
At the same time, cement production is believed
to account for 8% of worldwide carbon pollution,
while demand for cement is continuing to grow. .
As a result, scientists have been looking for
ways to reduce harmful construction-sector pollution,
and coal ash appears to present a promising solution.
The team out of RMIT hopes the findings, published in
the journal 'Cement and Concrete Research,' will serve
as evidence for the potential of low-carbon concretes