Nearly zero CO2 cementitious composites

This work introduces a novel method for the development of nearly zero CO2 cementitious composites, by adding a CaCO3 nanofiller produced via innovative recovery systems of carbon dioxide in cement manufacturing. This novel process of CO2 reconversion makes it possible to obtain calcium carbonate with a high degree of purity and useful features e.g. morphology, particle size distribution or crystal phase that make it suitable for use as a nanofiller in cement-based composites. In this study, synthesized nanoCaCO 3 particles were incorporated into the cementitious composites with different percentages according to the weight of the cement, in order to understand their behaviour within the cement matrix. Mechanical properties were investigated through three point bending and compression tests, both at 7 and 28 days and results show a promising improvement in strength and toughness. This study is a first step towards developing a CO 2 circular economy in cement and con- crete technology.