Latest Green Additives/Binders for Concrete?

[jclobello]

Hello All!

I am an engineer for a green start-up company that manufactures durable surfaces made of recycled glass and portland cement.  We typically fall underneath the "decorative kitchen counterop" category of this industry.  We are now in a new stage of innovation and, in keeping with our mission, we are trying to keep as environmentally friendly and conscience as possible. 

Are any of you aware of any new green additives or binders that could be used for the sustainablity of concrete?  I know hot buzz words are "biopolymers" and "bioresins", but are they really, well...green? 

Please assist!

Thank you so much,

Jaclyn

[yzhamada]

Jaclyn,

I really do not have the expertise to handle this question. Hopefully, others may have an answer or where you can get an answer.

Regards,

Hamada

[rafaluque]

Hi Jaclyn

There are several things you could be trying. A nice work from some colleagues at Cordoba Uni in Spain recently showed ashes from biomass gasification could be a good additive to mortars replacing up to 10% cement. These fly ashes contain high quantities of CaO and CaCO3 as well as other metal oxides.. Here is the reference for your info

Environ. Sci. Technol.

2011, 45, 6991–6996

If you need anything else, please give us a shout!

Best regards

Rafa

[jclobello]

Thank you Rafa for passing along this information!  I think I should better explain I guess the needs we would like to meet. 

We are looking for green additives and/or binders that are already on the market that could possibly not only replace cement, but have low VOC's, little to no plastic content, and are maybe soy based.

Does anything like this exist?

Hamada, do you know of any contacts?  Would the both of you suggest me posting this inquiry on another message board? 

Thank you,

Jaclyn