A recent peer-reviewed study from CarbonCure Technologies in Revista Ingeniería de Construcción (RIC), an engineering publication from the Pontifical Catholic University in Chile, outlines the measurable benefits of carbon dioxide (CO₂) mineralization in concrete production—validating it as a practical, scalable solution for decarbonizing concrete without sacrificing performance.
The findings, compiled by a group that includes CarbonCure’s Director of Research, Dr. Yogiraj Sargam, reinforce what early adopters have already seen in the field: Using mineralized CO₂ in concrete mixes enables meaningful reductions in cement content and embodied carbon while meeting standard strength and durability benchmarks.
For engineers and quality control (QC) professionals, carbon mineralization offers a verifiable way to meet sustainability targets while maintaining mix design integrity.
What is CO₂ Mineralization?
CO₂ mineralization involves injecting captured CO₂ into fresh concrete at the batch plant or in the mixer truck. The CO₂ reacts with calcium ions from cement to form nano-sized calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) crystals. This reaction mimics natural mineralization but occurs spontaneously, meaning very rapidly and without any external energy input. [link to video]
The resulting CaCO₃ nanoparticles serve as nucleation sites, enhancing the hydration process of cement and ensuring strength development—while simultaneously locking away carbon in a stable, solid form.
Strength Performance and Cement Optimization
One of the key advantages of CO₂ mineralization is its ability to enable cement reduction without loss of strength. Isothermal calorimetry tests show a 3–10% increase in hydration heat release when CO₂ is introduced, indicating enhanced cement reaction efficiency.
Field implementations consistently demonstrate that a 3–6% cement reduction can be achieved with no compromise in compressive strength.
This is critical for QC teams tasked with optimizing mix designs—offering a verifiable pathway to safely reduce cement consumption and trim material costs without triggering requalification concerns.
Corrosion and Permeability: No Trade-offs
The risk of embedded steel corrosion primarily depends on the alkalinity of the pore solution (pH>9) and the permeability of concrete. In mineralized mixes, pH levels remain above the corrosion-risk threshold for embedded steel and return to baseline within the first 30 minutes of hydration. Pore solution chemistry analysis confirms that early-stage changes in calcium and sulfur concentrations are minimal and transient. At 56 days, concrete samples assessed via:
- Rapid Chloride Permeability Testing (RCPT)
- Surface and Bulk Electrical Resistivity Testing
...fall into the same moderate permeability class as control samples, confirming no degradation in protective performance.
System Integration at the Plant
For engineering and operations teams, carbon mineralization technology is straightforward to implement. A CO₂ injection system integrates into standard batch plant workflows, similar to any liquid admixture. It consists of:
- A pressurized CO₂ storage tank,
- An inline dosing valve system, and
- A control interface integrated with the plant’s command center.
CO₂ is dosed by cement weight per mix via batch system integration. The process is fully automated and is injected like any other ingredient, based on pre-described mix designs and batch sequences. Mix cycle times are unaffected, and telemetry systems provide real-time data for tracking performance and carbon reduction metrics.
Uptake efficiency is measured using a carbon determinator, with results consistently around 90% CO₂ sequestration in fresh concrete. In other words, nearly all of the dosed CO₂ ends up mineralized and permanently embedded in the concrete matrix.
Engineering Concrete with Industry Experts
For engineers and QC professionals, CO₂ mineralization presents a low-risk, high-reward opportunity. It supports cement optimization strategies, preserves or enhances key performance metrics, and integrates seamlessly into production workflows.
Most importantly, it enables measurable carbon reductions with every truckload of concrete produced.
As pressure grows for building owners, developers, designers and builders to meet sustainability mandates and net-zero goals, mineralized concrete offers a credible, proven approach—supported by lab data, field results and real-world deployment. For those in charge of materials, performance and process control, there is added reassurance in adopting a drop-in solution with more than a decade of commercial success across North America and beyond, with millions of applications to date.
CarbonCure is also collaborating with MIT to support ongoing research. This collaboration is intended to expand upon CarbonCure’s decade of RD&D data and strengthen the concrete industry’s scientific understanding of the intersection between CO2 mineralization and concrete properties. Click here to learn more.
And if you’re interested in learning more about CarbonCure, contact us.
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