Sustainable Pathways for the Synthesis of Calcium Sulfate Hemihydrate
Calcium sulfate, and especially its hemihydrate form (bassanite), is crucial in the construction industry, primarily used as a hydraulic binder in cements, mortars, and wallboards. Because of the rapid transformation of bassanite into thermodynamically stable gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate) upon...
| Autores: | , , , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2025 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) |
| Repositorio: | DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:digital.csic.es:10261/397808 |
| Acceso en línea: | http://hdl.handle.net/10261/397808 https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202415161 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Bassanite Calcium sulfate Construction Crystallization Sustainability |
| Sumario: | Calcium sulfate, and especially its hemihydrate form (bassanite), is crucial in the construction industry, primarily used as a hydraulic binder in cements, mortars, and wallboards. Because of the rapid transformation of bassanite into thermodynamically stable gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate) upon contact with water, natural deposits are scarce, rendering it one of the most extensively produced inorganic materials worldwide. Currently, bassanite is derived from mined or waste gypsum through a thermal dehydration process, which is energy-intensive and costly. As sustainability has become a key target for industrial processes and products, a series of studies aiming to increase the energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint of bassanite production was published recently. Two primary approaches are pursued: conversion of gypsum and direct precipitation of bassanite from solution. In both cases, organic solvents, (specific) additives and/or elevated temperatures have been used to control the activity/availability of water in the reaction medium and thus direct phase selection towards bassanite. This review offers a comprehensive overview of alternative bassanite production methods, critically examining their benefits, potential downsides, and overall impact on the sustainability of industrial-scale use. |
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