Technical optimization and life cycle assessment of environment-friendly superplasticizer for concrete engineering

Xiao Liu; Guanghong Lai; Jianan Guan; Shanshan Qian; Ziming Wang; Suping Cui; Feng Gao; Yulong Jiao; Ran Tao

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130955

Technical optimization and life cycle assessment of environment-friendly superplasticizer for concrete engineering

Chemosphere. 2021 Oct:281:130955. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130955. Epub 2021 May 20.

Authors

Xiao Liu¹, Guanghong Lai², Jianan Guan³, Shanshan Qian⁴, Ziming Wang⁵, Suping Cui⁶, Feng Gao⁷, Yulong Jiao⁸, Ran Tao⁹

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials, Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China; Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Big-data Application Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China. Electronic address: liux@bjut.edu.cn.
² Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials, Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China; Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Big-data Application Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China. Electronic address: laiguanghong@yeah.net.
³ Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials, Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China; Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Big-data Application Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China. Electronic address: jiananguan@yeah.net.
⁴ Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials, Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China. Electronic address: aritqss@163.com.
⁵ Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials, Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China; Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Big-data Application Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China. Electronic address: wangziming@bjut.edu.cn.
⁶ Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials, Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China; Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Big-data Application Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China. Electronic address: cuisuping@bjut.edu.cn.
⁷ Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials, Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China; Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Big-data Application Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China. Electronic address: gaofeng@bjut.edu.cn.
⁸ Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials, Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China; Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Big-data Application Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China. Electronic address: yingyongappa@163.com.
⁹ Advanced Construction Materials CO., LTD., Beijing Construction Engineering Group, Beijing, 100037, China. Electronic address: taylor20192019@163.com.

PMID: 34049084
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130955

Abstract

With the rapid development of the construction industry, it is necessary to synthesize environment-friendly functional polymers, especially when developing "green" construction industry types. Herein a novel solid-state polycarboxylate superplasticizer (PCE) with low energy-consumption was designed and synthesized. In industrial application, solid-state PCE has exhibited better cement paste fluidity and concrete slump compared to liquid-state PCE. A life cycle assessment (LCA) of the PCE synthesis, the packaging materials used, and the transportation of the PCE were conducted based on the ReCiPe method. The results indicated that liquid-state PCE has a far greater environmental impact at >60% than solid-state PCE, which is less significant at <40%. The inventory data that are associated with the production of the new polymer are disclosed for the first time to enrich the related database in this field. This study demonstrates the optimization of the state and synthesis technique of a functional polymer, improving the performance and lowering the environmental impacts involved in producing the polymer, while reducing the risks to human health and protecting the ecosystem at the same time.

Keywords: Concrete; Environmental impacts; LCA; Solid-state; Superplasticizer; Technical optimization.

MeSH terms

Animals
Construction Industry*
Construction Materials
Ecosystem*
Environment
Humans
Life Cycle Stages