Concrete is the most used construction material in the world. Thanks to its strength, durability, and low cost, it is the only material that can satisfy the growing demand for infrastructure, especially in developing countries. However, the production of cement, a key concrete ingredient, is responsible for about 5% of the human emissions of CO2. Because of the ubiquitous presence of concrete in our society, even small decreases in CO2 emissions due to concrete production would have a significant impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. To this end, one option is to improve the toughness of cement. Indeed, tougher cement would allow using less material while achieving comparable mechanical properties. Moreover, an increased resistance to fracture would improve cement’s longevity, making it even more sustainable. As such, it is of primary importance to understand how composition affects the resistance to fracture of calcium-silicate-hydrates (C-S-H), the binding phase of cement, starting from the atomic scale.

PDF: Improving the fracture toughness of cement