Electrochemical Transformation of Limestone into Portlandite and Valuable Carbonaceous Products

The cement industry is one of the largest contributors to global CO2 emissions, and it is extremely challenging to decarbonize the cement industry, as most CO2 emissions results from the calcination of limestone (CaCO3) into CaO and CO2. In this work, we demonstrate a novel electrochemical process that transforms CaCO3 into portlandite (Ca(OH)2, a key Portland cement precursor) and valuable carbonaceous products, which integrates electrochemical water splitting and CO2 reduction reaction with the chemical decomposition of CaCO3. With different metal catalyst electrodes, we have achieved Ca(OH)2 and various valuable carbonaceous products, such as CO, formate, methane, and ethylene. Our work revolutionizes cement production and provides a green and sustainable path toward carbon neutrality for the cement industry.