​Low temperature method for decarbonising limestone

 

Researchers at the University of Sheffield have proposed a new scalable process to take calcium carbonate and reacting it with aqueous sodium hydroxide at room temperature and pressure is producing calcium hydroxide and sodium carbonate and no production of carbon dioxide gas. This means of creating calcium hydroxide and by generating sodium carbonate doesn’t produce any carbon dioxide gas. This system may be beneficial for the decarbonisation of limestone but whether it can be adapted to cement production on a large scale still waiting to be seen. The technology to produce sodium hydroxide by electrolysis of seawater uses quite a lot of electricity. But, this also generates a significant amount of toxic chlorine gas although this is used in the chemical industry primary studies show that there may be a significant surplus of chlorine produced. But one of the benefits of producing sodium hydroxide in this way is the production of pure hydrogen.




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