Bioinspired <i>In Situ</i> Synthesis of High-Strength Bulk CO₂ Mineralized Ceramics at Room Temperature.

Abstract

Traditional high-temperature fabrication methods for ceramics suffer from significant energy consumption and limit the development of advanced ceramics incorporating temperature-sensitive materials. While bioinspired mineralization provides an effective strategy to realize the room-temperature preparation of ceramics, scaling up production remains a challenge. Herein, we demonstrate a room-temperature procedure for the fabrication of large-scale ceramics by using the carbonation reaction of sodium alginate (SA)-doped γ-dicalcium silicate (γ-C₂S) compacts. This bioinspired <i>in situ</i> mineralization process regulates molecular interactions and microscopic crystal alignment, resulting in the formation of CO₂ mineralized ceramics with specifically oriented mesocrystals and exceptional mechanical properties rivaling those of biological materials. Through this strategy, we demonstrate that the advanced ceramic composites with compressive strength approaching 300 MPa can be fabricated at a large scale, with the additional benefits of fixing about 200 kg of CO₂ per ton of CO₂ mineralized ceramics. Our innovative approach shows great potential for the efficient and cost-effective fabrication of large-scale and high-performance bioceramics, aligning with the goals of sustainable development involving reducing the energy consumption and achieving carbon neutrality.