RT Conference Proceedings
T1 From earth to emissions reduction-Clays in the journey toward low-carbon cements
A1 Gómez-de-la-Torre, María de los  Ángeles
A1 Koufany, Imane
A1 Santacruz-Cruz, María Isabel
A1 Rodríguez-Ruiz, María Dolores
A1 García-Aranda, Miguel Ángel
K1 Cemento
AB Reducing the carbon footprint of cement sector requires rethinking its fundamental ingredient: Portland clinker.One of the most promising pathways is the incorporation of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), withlimestone calcined clay cements (LC3) standing out as a particularly effective family of low-carbon binders. Amongthese, the LC3-50 formulation, consisting of roughly 50 wt% Portland clinker, 30 wt% (thermally) activated clay,15% limestone, and 5% gypsum, has gained remarkable attention for combining performance and sustainability,although research to date has focused predominantly on systems based on thermally activated kaolinitic clays [1].This blend can achieve up to a 40% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to conventional cement, while stilldelivering high compressive strength after 7 days and strong resistance to chloride and sulfate ingress. Yet, LC3-50is not without its limitations: early-age (1-day) strength remains modest, workability declines within the first hours,and carbonation resistance can be lower than desired. Ongoing research addresses these challenges through thefine-tuning of admixtures and curing regimes.After introducing the fundamental concepts of low-carbon cements, pozzolanic reactions, and the mineralogyof phyllosilicates, this work examines recent advances in both thermal and mechanochemical activation of clays,not only kaolinite but other types such as 2:1 clays. It further proposes general correlations useful for predictingcompressive strength development [2,3]. The contribution will include the main scientific and practical challengesthat must be overcome for the large-scale deployment of these “old minerals with new purpose,” transformingfamiliar clays into high-performance, sustainable cement constituents.
YR 2026
FD 2026
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10630/45242
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10630/45242
LA eng
DS RIUMA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Málaga
RD 4 mar 2026