In this project, various biomasses, which are pyrolyzed using carbonization plants, are analyzed, processed, and developed into a reactive additive for cementitious materials. This additive is intended to replace cement, aiming to reduce 50% of current CO2 emissions from cement production by substituting 50% of Portland cement with the newly developed additive. The use of biomass offers additional benefits beyond CO2 reduction. Firstly, it avoids direct dependence on finite resources, which is currently the case with commercially available reactive additives for cementitious materials. Secondly, existing biomass in the form of waste substrates undergoes upcycling, enabling its use for higher-value purposes.
At present, there are limited options for material use of lignocellulosic biomass, such as grass and shrub cuttings, reclaimed wood, forest residuals, and agricultural residues. This type of biomass is predominantly utilized for energy generation in biomass power plants or even waste incineration plants to produce electricity and heat. In contrast, carbonization allows for a more valuable use of this biomass. The process generates combustible gas, which can still be used for energy, and biochar, which can be applied in agriculture, for example.
As the project progresses, the produced biochar will be modified and used as a reactive additive (PYROCEM additive) to develop a highly innovative and sustainable concrete material (PYROCEM concrete) for subterranean concrete structures in civil engineering. The use of biochar as a pozzolanic material is a development that has been underway for some time and is being driven forward by various environmental factors related to climate change.
