Product · Materials Science
Product · InnDex 28 · Evidence provided · High specification risk
CO₂-capturing supplementary cement material from coal ash via single-step mineralisation.
Alithic produces a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) that directly incorporates captured atmospheric CO₂ into coal ash and mineral waste, reducing embodied carbon in concrete without requiring separate carbon capture infrastructure. It addresses the concrete industry's dual challenge: decarbonisation of clinker and productive end-use of industrial waste streams. The patented process claims low energy intensity (<200 kWh/tonne CO₂) by combining capture and mineralisation in one step, rather than separating them.
Alithic's process mineralises captured atmospheric CO₂ directly into coal ash and mineral waste in a single step, producing a supplementary cementitious material that can partially replace Portland clinker while permanently binding carbon within the binder matrix — addressing both cement decarbonisation and industrial waste valorisation without requiring a separate capture plant. The claimed energy intensity below 200 kWh per tonne of CO₂ captured would, if verified, undercut typical DAC costs of 250 to 600 kWh/tonne, and lab-scale ASTM C618 compliance suggests potential as a drop-in partial clinker substitute. One provided evidence item is on record, but the technology is at ton-scale testing with no field deployment in actual concrete structures, and the performance data on long-term hydration, strength development, durability under site curing conditions, and compatibility with admixtures has not been publicly released. Lab ASTM compliance does not translate automatically to reliable performance in blended concrete across the mixing, placing, and curing variability of real construction sites. Regulatory acceptance — CE marking, NSF certification, and procurement-authority recognition — is not yet evidenced, and the reliance on coal ash as feedstock raises a genuine medium-term supply risk as coal phase-out accelerates in Europe and North America. The energy claim also lacks independent verification. For a concrete technologist or specifier, Alithic represents a credible and potentially important binder innovation, but the gap between ton-scale mineralisation and a specified, certified concrete product with documented long-term performance is significant enough that independent trial mix programmes would be the first step, not direct project adoption.
Lab-scale ASTM C618 compliance is documented; pilot pathway outlined but not yet underway at NCCL (as of April 2026 website update). The claimed <200 kWh/tonne CO₂ energy intensity is unusually low for DAC and requires third-party verification—no independent LCA or energy audit published. No peer-reviewed publications, no field trials, no concrete test results (slump, strength, durability, leaching) disclosed. Company messaging is promotional ('DAC with benefits') rather than rigorous. Timeline claims (2028 commercial facility) are speculative for a company at pilot stage with no construction announced.
#carbon_capture #scm #concrete #waste_valorisation #embodied_carbon