NEW CHALLENGES FOR A LOW-CARBON FUTURE: A MATERIALS PERSPECTIVE

Ana Carolina Constâncio Trindade, Adriano Galvão de Souza Azevedo, Leo Maia do Amaral, Holmer Savastano Junior

Abstract


Materials engineering plays a pivotal role in addressing the urgent need for low-carbon solutions to mitigate CO₂ emissions. This study explores innovative material strategies tailored to the socio- economic and environmental contexts of developing regions. It highlights four key areas: cementitious materials, clinker-free binders, lignocellulosic fibers, and bamboo. Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), such as fly ash and sugarcane bagasse ash, reduce carbon footprints, while alkali- activated and calcium sulfoaluminate cements leverage regional mineral resources. Renewable lignocellulosic fibers, including sisal (Agave sisalana), improve performance and support local economies, despite challenges in bonding and durability. Bamboo, with its exceptional mechanical properties, offers sustainable solutions for various applications. This paper underscores the need for interdisciplinary collaboration, advanced material research, and supportive policies to overcome technical barriers. By aligning global sustainability trends with local resource utilization, materials engineering can drive low-carbon technologies, foster regional development, and contribute to global climate goals. 

Keywords


sustainable materials, low-carbon construction, cementitious innovations, lignocellulosic fibers, bamboo applications

Full Text:

PDF

References


Reis, D. C., Quattrone, M., Souza, J. F., Punhagui, K. R., Pacca, S. A., & John, V. M. (2021). Potential CO2 reduction and uptake due to industrialization and efficient cement use in Brazil by 2050. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 25(2), 344-358.

The 17 goals | sustainable development - United Nations. Available at: https://sdgs.un.org/goals (Accessed: 04 December 2024).

Scrivener, K. L., Lothenbach, B., De Belie, N., Gruyaert, E., Skibsted, J., Snellings, R., & Vollpracht, A. (2015). TC 238-SCM: hydration and microstructure of concrete with SCMs: State of the art on methods to determine degree of reaction of SCMs. Materials and Structures, 48, 835-862.

Habert, G., Miller, S. A., John, V. M., Provis, J. L., Favier, A., Horvath, A., & Scrivener, K. L. (2020). Environmental impacts and decarbonization strategies in the cement and concrete industries. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 1(11), 559-573.

da Silva, M. R. C., Malacarne, C. S., Longhi, M. A., & Kirchheim, A. P. (2021). Valorization of kaolin mining waste from the Amazon region (Brazil) for the low-carbon cement production. Case Studies in Construction Materials, 15, e00756.

Lopes, C. D. M. N., Mendes, V. F., Garcia, D. R., & Mendes, J. C. (2023). Residues in cement-based composites: Occurrence mapping in Brazil. Case Studies in Construction Materials, 18, e01763.

de Azevedo, A. R., Amin, M., Hadzima-Nyarko, M., Agwa, I. S., Zeyad, A. M., Tayeh, B. A., & Adesina, A. (2022). Possibilities for the application of agro-industrial wastes in cementitious materials: A brief review of the Brazilian perspective. Cleaner Materials, 3, 100040.

Ajala, E. O., Ighalo, J. O., Ajala, M. A., Adeniyi, A. G., & Ayanshola, A. M. (2021). Sugarcane bagasse: a biomass sufficiently applied for improving global energy, environment and economic sustainability. Bioresources and Bioprocessing, 8, 1-25.

Global Cement and Concrete Association - GCCA. Available at: https://gccassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Summery-Report_Blended-

Cement-Green-Duratable-Sustainable_13Apr2022.pdf (Accessed: 15 December 2024).

Silva, F. D. A., Mobasher, B., Soranakom, C., & Toledo Filho, R. D. (2011). Effect of fiber shape and morphology on interfacial bond and cracking behaviors of sisal fiber cement based composites. Cement and Concrete Composites, 33(8), 814-823.

Savastano Jr, H., Fiorelli, J., & Santos, S. F. D. (2017). Sustainable and Nonconventional Construction Materials using Inorganic Bonded Fiber Composites. 1st Edition. Elsevier. ISBN: 9780081020012.

Azevedo, A. G., & Savastano, H. (2024). Assessment of carbonation as a complementary strategy to increase the durability of Magnesium Oxysulfate (MOS)-based fiber cement boards. Construction and Building Materials, 438, 137086.

Humbert, P. S., Castro-Gomes, J. P., & Savastano Jr, H. (2019). Clinker-free CO2 cured steel slag based binder: Optimal conditions and potential applications. Construction and Building Materials, 210, 413-421.

Trindade, A. C. C., Borges, P. H. R., & Silva, F. D. A. (2019). Evaluation of fiber–matrix bond in the mechanical behavior of geopolymer composites reinforced with natural fibers. Advances in Civil Engineering Materials, 8(3), 361-375.

Alcamand, H. A., Borges, P. H., Silva, F. A., & Trindade, A. C. C. (2018). The effect of matrix composition and calcium content on the sulfate durability of metakaolin and metakaolin/slag alkali-activated mortars. Ceramics International, 44(5), 5037-5044.

Tao, Y., Rahul, A. V., Mohan, M. K., De Schutter, G., & Van Tittelboom, K. (2023). Recent progress and technical challenges in using calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement. Cement and Concrete Composites, 137, 104908.

Gavioli, L. M. (2024). Multicriteria sustainability assessment of biocomposites of magnesiumbased fiber cement and agroindustrial ash (Doctoral dissertation, Universidade de São Paulo). 18. Kadivar, M., et al. (2024) Estimation and Analysis of Bamboo Resources and Species Distribution in Brazil. INBAR Working Paper, Technical Report. International Bamboo and Rattan Organization. Beijing, China.

Kadivar, M., et al. (2024) Bamboo market and value chain in Brazil. INBAR Working Paper, Technical Report. International Bamboo and Rattan Organization. Beijing, China.

Kadivar, M., et al. (2024) Bamboo Roadmap for Brazil, A Sustainable Path to Follow: Strategic Framework and Action Plan. INBAR Working Paper, Technical Report. International Bamboo and Rattan Organization. Beijing, China.




DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21622/MARLOG.2025.14.1.63

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2025 Ana Carolina Constâncio Trindade, Adriano Galvão de Souza Azevedo, Leo Maia do Amaral, Holmer Savastano Junior

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

The International Maritime Transport and Logistics Journal (MARLOG)

E-ISSN: 2974-3141
P-ISSN: 2974-3133

Published by:

Academy Publishing Center (APC)

Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT)

Alexandria, Egypt