PALM

Within the framework of the topics proposed by the DIM MaterRE and to reduce the environmental impact of the habitat and infrastructure, we work on the design of so-called «green» cements. Cement is the hydraulic binder used to manufacture concrete for construction with annual global production now exceeding 4 Gt/year, accounting for about 2% of the world’s primary energy consumption and 8% of anthropogenic CO₂ emissions. In a circular economy imposed by the future scarcity of primary raw materials, waste from other industries can be used as low CO₂ binders. Thus, the “green” cements can be manufactured with up to 95% blast furnace slags or calcined kaolins from among others. However, their implementation is still to be worked out, as the use of these materials represents a substantial change from the traditional Portland cement chemistry. In particular, modelling the reactivity of slag in water when mixed with clinker requires a better understanding of the influence of slag treatment and the physico-chemical properties on its performance.

Moreover, in Africa, the urgent need to make the transition to the use of sustainable materials is accentuated by challenges such as demographic and environmental changes and their consequences. The target materials are geo/biopolymers, and other ecomaterials, recycling and depollution in relation to the life cycle. As part of a collaboration with the Agence Sémé City Cotonou Benin and Sorbonne Université, IRD, collaborations are being established around these building materials with the aim of sustainable urban planning (innovations, characterizations, processes, anthropogenic impact).