Scalable Electrochemical Concrete Fabrication and Closed‐Loop Recycling

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Authors: Hanxiong Lyu, Zhenlin Li, Yang Liu, Lu Ping Zhu, Lucen Hao, Mingxin Shi, Shipeng Zhang, Chi Sun Poon
Cited by: 1
References: 54

Abstract

ABSTRACT Concrete builds the modern world, yet its production remains fundamentally unsustainable. Over 30 billion tonnes of concrete are produced annually, fuelling a one‐way flow of resource extraction and accumulation of CO 2 emissions and inert demolition waste. Current recycling practices predominantly downcycle waste into low‐grade applications, limiting environmental benefits and stalling progress toward a circular economy. Here, an electrochemical‐driven recycling (ER) strategy is proposed that upcycles concrete waste into high‐value resources, including pristine aggregates and zero‐carbon clinker precursors. The ER process selectively decomposes hydrated cement phases, demonstrating the chemical reversibility of hydration products and enabling regeneration of clinker precursors. The recovered substances are recombined to create reversed Portland Cement and reversed concrete that match conventional counterparts in both composition and performance. Validated at pilot scale (19.2 t/year), the ER strategy achieves 95.4 wt.% circularity and reduces global warming potential from 448.4 to −4.6 kg CO 2 ‐eq/m 3 , rendering the concrete carbon‐neutral across its full life cycle. Cost analysis indicates competitiveness with conventional production, offering up to $94.8/m 3 in net savings under high landfill pricing. By closing both material and carbon loops, this work charts a scalable path toward circular concrete, where demolition no longer marks an end, but a beginning.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Microbial Applications in Construction Materials Concrete and Cement Materials Research Recycled Aggregate Concrete Performance

Publication details

Journal / source
Advanced Science
Publisher
Wiley
Volume
13
Issue
24
Pages
e23927–e23927
Publication date
25 February 2026
Language
EN