Sustainable research could lead to reduction in global carbon dioxide emissions

Dr Hao Wang

USQ is at the cutting edge of research into the development of a new sustainable alternative to cement, which could save four to eight percent of the world’s current carbon dioxide emissions.

As one of the foundation members of the Australian Geopolymer Alliance, which was launched earlier this month, USQ is working with other research institutions and businesses on a geopolymer that could revolutionise the cement industry.

'Globally, the cement industry is the third largest industrial consumer of energy,' USQ Engineering Senior Lecturer and researcher Dr Hao Wang said.

'Geopolymer is a green substitute for conventional cement and a new class of material, which uses industry wastes such as fly ash (from coal-fired power stations) with an alkaline solution and when hardened, can act as cement or concrete if it is mixed with large aggregates.

'Analysis indicates that substituting geopolymer cement for ordinary portland cement would reduce cement-generated carbon dioxide emissions by some 80 percent.'

Established in response to the challenges arising from global climate change, the Geopolymer Alliance has attracted a number of influential members including Rio Tinto, Cement Australia, the CSIRO and the University of Melbourne.

'Being one of the research providers in the Alliance is in recognition of our work and our research capabilities,' Dr Wang said.

'As a new force in this area, USQ is certainly at the forefront of this technological innovation.'

Already the University has undertaken several new partnerships with industry as the need for the geopolymer is expected to increase significantly as the research continues.

'Currently we are working with a Brisbane company, Haald Engineering to develop the geopolymer’s application in the housing industry.

'Several other local groups, including Hatch, Austrack and Wagners are also interested in collaborating with USQ, while we are also discussing our possible involvement in an Australian Government Cooperative Research Centres application, the CRC for By-product Utilisation.

'We expect our geopolymer research to grow into a large program under USQ’s research theme of sustainable and green materials.'

Contact Details:
Josh Ada, USQ Media, +61 7 4631 2559, 0400 025 429