Hosted by: ACerS Cements Division
Tuesday, April 2, 2024; 1p.m. – 2p.m. Eastern US time
Sponsored by the ACerS Cements Division, the April webinar will feature one speaker: Kinetic Studies of Magnesium-Silicate-Hydrate Precipitation and Dissolution
DESCRIPTION
Kinetic Studies of Magnesium-Silicate-Hydrate Precipitation and Dissolution
The high energy use and environmental burden of the construction industry have driven efforts to discover and improve new cements. Although alternative binders have shown promise, challenges remain including their metastability, their poor durability in the presence of carbon dioxide, and the need for large amounts of energy-intensive caustic activators. Cements based on the bonding between magnesium and silicon, such as magnesium silicate hydrates (M-S-H), are among the less explored alternatives, and characteristics that control their cementitious nature, i.e., the rates of precipitation, structural mechanisms for strengthening, and stability in relevant environments, are not known. In these studies, dynamic high-resolution methods are used to probe, drive, and manipulate MSH synthesis processes, structures, and properties during growth and dissolution. The knowledge gained from these studies will identify precise chemical pathways of M-S-H synthesis and processing–structure–property relationships, thus establishing its viability as a binder material for construction purposes and an alternative to ordinary Portland cement. The fundamental science and discovery gained from this project will expand our understanding of low-temperature mineral crystallization processes and the subsequent property development across spatial and temporal scales.
BIOGRAPHIES
Dr. Erika La Plante, Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Davis
Erika La Plante is an Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of California, Davis. She obtained her Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Sciences with a focus in Geochemistry at the University of Illinois at Chicago and her B.S. in Geology from the University of the Philippines. Erika has produced peer-reviewed publications on mineral reactivity, the synthesis, durability, and sustainability of cementitious materials, atomic structural controls on phase reactivity, low-temperature mineral processing, and carbon dioxide sequestration.
Erika received an NSF CAREER Award to discover pathways for the synthesis of cementitious magnesium silicate hydrates. She applies her expertise in the kinetics of low-temperature aqueous processes at mineral-fluid interfaces to address the many research questions in the fields of climate, sustainability, built environment, and energy.
REGISTRATION
Registration is now closed. If you missed the webinar, ACerS members may view it in the ACerS Webinar Archives. Member log-in required.
If you have any questions, please contact Vicki Evans.
This webinar is brought to you by the ACerS Cements Division.
To view past ACerS webinars click here.