rexresearh.com
rexresearch1
Alessandro ROTTA LORIA
ElectroCement
Related: HILBURTZ: Biorock ... DAVIDOVITCH: Geopolymers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1P44htyC6I
Electricity Turns Sand Into Solid Stone. No Cement Required. Could Concrete Become Obsolete? //
Natures Lost Archive
https://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/news/articles/2024/08/fighting-coastal-erosion-with-electricity/
Fighting Coastal Erosion with Electricity
Bioinspired process makes marine sand more durable, resistant to erosion
In laboratory experiments, a mild electrical current instantaneously changed the structure of marine sand, transforming it into a rock-like, immoveable solid. The researchers are hopeful this strategy could offer a lasting, inexpensive and sustainable solution for strengthening global coastlines.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01604-3
Communications Earth & Environment volume 5, Article number: 442 (2024)
Electrodeposition of calcareous cement from seawater in marine silica sands
Andony Landivar Macias, Steven D. Jacobsen & Alessandro F. Rotta Loria
[ PDF ]
Abstract -- The erosion of marine sediments is a pressing issue for coastal areas worldwide. Established methods to mitigate coastal erosion fail to provide lasting and sustainable solutions to protect marine ecosystems. Here we demonstrate the application of mild electrical stimulations to precipitate calcareous mineral binders from seawater in the pores of marine soils via electrodeposition, an alternative approach to mitigating coastal erosion. Results of electrochemical laboratory experiments unveil that the polymorphs, precipitation sites, intrusion mechanisms, and effects of electrodeposited minerals in marine sands vary as a function of the magnitude and duration of applied voltage, soil relative density, and electrolyte ionic concentration. Surprisingly, in addition to the precipitation of calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide, the formation of hydromagnesite is also observed due to electrically driven fluctuations in the local . These electrodeposits lead to enhanced mechanical and hydraulic properties of the marine sands, indicating that electrodeposition routes could be developed to reinforce marine soils in coastal areas that more closely mimic natural systems.
https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adsu.202400943
https://doi.org/10.1002/adsu.202400943
Electrodeposition of Carbon-Trapping Minerals in Seawater for Variable Electrochemical Potentials and Carbon Dioxide Injections
Nishu Devi, Xiaohui Gong, Daiki Shoji, Amy Wagner, Alexandre Guerini, Davide Zampini, Jeffrey Lopez, Alessandro F. Rotta Loria
Abstract -- Seawater offers immense potential for addressing global energy and climate challenges. Electrochemical seawater splitting is a sustainable approach for hydrogen production and carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration, producing hydrogen gas at the cathode and oxygen or chlorine gas at the anode. Simultaneously, minerals such as calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide precipitate at the cathode, especially when coupled with CO2 injections for the sake of CO2 sequestration. These precipitates are often dismissed as energy-intensive byproducts. However, they have untapped potential as resources for construction, manufacturing, and environmental remediation. Here, a comprehensive experimental investigation is presented into the electrochemical precipitation of minerals in seawater under varying operational conditions. By systematically varying applied voltage, current density, and CO2 flow rate, the conditions that optimize mineral yield and selectivity while minimizing energy consumption are revealed. The findings advance the understanding of electrochemical synthesis and material processing in aqueous solutions, with a particular focus on the mineralization of calcareous compounds and their transformation into large-scale aggregates. These findings also support an additional and highly scalable application of seawater electrolysis, encompassing not only oceanic renewable hydrogen production and CO2 sequestration but also the sustainable production of carbon-trapping minerals and aggregates.
US2025215578 -- METHOD OF ELECTRODEPOSITION IN SEAWATER FOR THE GROWTH OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
Inventor: ROTTA LORIA ALESSANDRO, LOPEZ JEFFREY (+4)
Applicant: CEMEX INNOVATION HOLDING AG [CH] // UNIV NORTHWESTERN [US]
The present invention relates to a method to produce calcium rich-based aggregates by electrodeposition in salty aqueous CO2 enriched solutions, that can be used in the construction industry. The method includes filtering an aqueous salty solution to produce an aqueous salty solution free of organic debris or pollutants, adjusting a temperature and pH in a conditioning reactor CR1 to produce an aqueous salty solution, bringing the aqueous salty solution from CR1 to a continuous reactor CR2 equipped with an electroactive substrate comprising at least one cathode and at least one anode connected to an electrical DC supply, injecting in CR2 a flux of a gas mixture containing CO2 (C-gas) in contact with the flux of the aqueous solution, applying to the flux of the CO2-enriched aqueous solution a constant DC current, and recovering the calcium rich-based aggregates deposited on the electroactive substrate and/or on the bottom of CR2.