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Low energy synthesis of cement compounds in molten salt

The world cement industry is responsible for 5% of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. This paper describes a novel, low-energy route to cement manufacture, the production of cement clinker minerals via molten salt synthesis. Major components of cements were successfully synthesised at the lowest temperatures ever reported. The work utilised electrochemistry to bring the ionic components of the reaction together and has lead to two major EPSRC projects, one on the reaction of pure cement products with Magnox nuclear waste (DIAMOND) and the other on the use of molten salts (and electrochemistry) in the reprocessing of Generation IV spent fuel (REFINE).