The use of monoethanolamine CO2 solvent for the CO2 curing of cement-based materials

Abstract

CO2 curing for cement-based materials is one of the possible methods for carbon capture and utilization. This enhances the strength of the cement-based materials by calcium carbonation at age of 3 day. This paper proposes a new process for the CO2 curing; we take an aqueous carbonation of cement-based materials submerged in the amine solvents, which is used in the chemical CO2 absorption process. Gaseous CO2 is dissolved in 1, 10, 30% of monoethanolamine (MEA) aqueous solutions to mimic the absorption process for carbon capture. The cement paste and mortar are submerged and cured in the amine solvent. Consequently, both samples get carbonated, and their strengths increase. Especially in the mortar samples, the macropore associated with bottom ash aggregate is filled by the carbonates produced by the CO2 curing. In our developed new CO2 curing method, large-scale equipment, used in the conventional CO2 gas curing, is not required, and the CO2 generated in the industrial processes can be easily transported when captured in a liquid form. It also reduces the energy consumption for regenerating amine solvents.