Cement Energy & Environment

54 (up to 600°C) while improving compressive strength by 8–15%. Quantitative Integration: A nanomaterial- enhanced system combining LC3 (0.35 tonnes CO 2 /tonne), biochar (0.3 tonnes CO 2 /tonne), mineral carbonation (0.4 tonnes CO 2 /tonne), and optimized nanomaterials (nano-SiO 2 1–2% + nano-TiO 2 0.5% + GO 0.05%) theoretically achieves 0.8–1.0 tonnes CO 2 sequestration per tonne binder over 50 years. With nanomaterial-induced service life extension (25–35%), extended periods (60– 70 years instead of 50) increase annual carbon storage rate by an additional 10–15%. 2.3 DST CCU Testbed Progress (2025–2027) Table 1: DST Carbon Capture and Utilization Testbeds with Nanomaterial Integration Testbed Technology Location Capacity Status Nano Integration 1 Oxygen-en- hanced calci- nation JK Cement + NCB, Haryana 2 tonnes CO 2 /day Lightweight blocks (30–35 MPa) Nano-SiO 2 (1.5%) for 18% capture enhancement 2 Solvent-based CO 2 capture + mineralization JSW Cement + IIT Kanpur 1 tonne CO 2 / day Climatic durability testing GO (0.05%) for 28–32% improvement 3 Catalyst-driven CO 2 capture Dalmia Ce- ment + IIT Bombay 2 tonnes CO 2 /day Operating plant integration Nano-TiO 2 (0.8%) photocatalytic acceleration 4 Vacuum swing adsorption CSIR-IIP + JSW Cement 1 tonne CO 2 / day Bench-scale opti- mization CNT/nano-SiO 2 core-shell diffusion pathways 5 Oxygen-en- riched burning + mineralization UltraTech + IIT Madras 2 tonnes CO 2 /day Concrete waste valorization Multi-nano system (nano-SiO 2 + na- no-CaCO 3 + GO): 30–35% enhancement Collective Capacity: 8 tonnes CO2/day by 2027. Scaling Projection: Pilot-to-demonstration scale (500–1,000 tonnes CO2/day by 2030) with nanomaterial optimization could deliver 20–30 million tonnes annual CO2 sequestration by 2035 (15–20% of industry emissions), with extended durability reducing maintenance-related emissions by an additional 10–15%. LC3 + Nanomaterial Pathway: BIS codification (IS 18189:2023) combined with nanomaterial integration creates commercially viable products. Manufacturing retrofits cost ₹1–50 crores for LC3 production lines; nanomaterial integration infrastructure costs ₹50–200 lakhs. Early field trials (Lodha Group, Mumbai; academic centers) incorporating nano-SiO 3 and GO into LC3 formulations demonstrate enhanced durability (corrosion resistance improved 35–50%, freeze– thaw cycles to failure increased 2–3×) with maintained workability. 3. CONCLUSION Carbon-storing and carbon-utilizing cementitious materials represent an unprecedented transformation opportunity—converting cement from a climate liability into a climate solution. The integration of nanotechnology amplifies this transformation, enabling cement systems to simultaneously achieve: (1) enhanced carbon sequestration (0.8–1.0 tonnes CO 2 /tonne), (2) improved mechanical performance (strength increases 10–40%), (3) extended durability (service life increases 25–40%), and (4) photocatalytic self- cleaning properties (nano-TiO 2 systems). India’s urgency (Net-Zero 2070, interim 2047 target), coupled with rising cement demand (445 → 670 million tonnes by 2030) and growing nanotechnology research capacity at IITs, CSIR institutes, and industry laboratories, demands coordinated material innovation and policy integration incorporating advanced nanomaterials.