Postdoctoral offer
With the goal to decrease carbon emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and being the first climate neutral continent by 2050, EU set out in the European Green Deal policy. For these goals to be reached, the EU’s industry, including the cement sector, need to transform its current highly CO2-intensive processes. Decarbonation of the industry brings a lot of uncertainty concerning the future availability of raw materials, especially slag. Indeed, slag, as a co-product of the steel industry, is one of the most vulnerable materials with regard to decarbonation and transition from blast furnaces to electric arc furnaces leading to a decrease in slag quantities (with compositions as we know now). With the decrease of available quantities, prices are expected to be increased by more than 70% and even beyond and with possibly an increase of CO2 emissions due to transport (Australia, Brazil and China as the three main steel producers). Because of their performances and characteristics, slag and cements with high slag substitution (CEM III/C) or alkali activated cement (AAC) will still be used for special applications such as when sulphate resistance, low hydration heat, fluidity or good mechanical properties are needed, or for nuclear waste conditioning. With similar cement hydrates and redox properties, AAC can be interesting for difficult wastes to immobilized through sorption, incorporation or substitution of elements with radionuclides. Moreover, due to these similarities, required demonstrations for acceptation as conditioning matrix could be simplified.
This study aims to investigate novel materials issued form plentiful long time available raw materials by using an aluminum silicate source, with an important consideration of raw materials sourced from local producers, providing guarantees of plentiful, homogenous long-term deposits. Low carbon bearing sources will equally be privileged whenever it is possible.