The Need

The construction industry faces growing pressure to reduce the carbon footprint of cement while maintaining performance, durability, and reliable supply chains. Traditional supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as fly ash and blast furnace slag are increasingly scarce or regionally constrained. At the same time, large volumes of industrial silicate wastes remain underutilized or landfilled. There is a clear unmet need for scalable, domestic SCM solutions that lower cement emissions, improve material performance, and valorize abundant industrial byproducts.

The Technology

OSU engineers have developed a novel method to convert calcium‑rich silicate materials from industrial waste streams into a high‑performance supplementary cementitious material through a proprietary, integrated processing approach. The process simultaneously modifies the surface chemistry and internal reactivity of the silicate particles, yielding a multifunctional material that disperses uniformly in cement systems. The result is a stable, reactive additive designed to enhance cementitious performance without requiring changes to conventional concrete production workflows.

Commercial Applications

• Cements and concrete products for structural and infrastructure applications
• Low‑carbon construction materials for sustainability‑focused projects

Benefits/Advantages

• Uses abundant industrial waste streams to create a value‑added construction material
• Improves concrete performance and durability compared to untreated mineral additives
• Reduces reliance on Portland cement, supporting lower CO₂ emissions
• Compatible with existing cement and concrete manufacturing practices