Alkali-Activated Cement-Based Binders (AACBs) as durable and cost-competitive low-CO2 binder materials: some shortcomings that need to be adressed

Abstract

The production of 1 t of ordinary Portland cement generates 0.55 t of chemical CO2 and requires an additional 0.39 t of CO2 in fuel emissions for baking and grinding, accounting for a total of 0.94 t of CO2. The projections for the global demand of Portland cement show that by 2056 it will have doubled, reaching 6 Gt/year. Publications in the field of alkali-activated cement-based binders (AACBs) state that this new material is likely to have high potential to become an alternative to Portland cement. However, AACBs still show some shortcomings that needs to be addressed so that they can effectively compete against Portland cement. This chapter thus reviews AACB costs, carbon dioxide emissions, and some durability issues like efflorescences, alkali silica reaction, and corrosion of steel reinforcement.