Smarter deducting - Longer filter life - See CK Injector at POLLUTEC Lyon, 7 - 10/10/2025 - CK World
Smarter deducting - Longer filter life - See CK Injector at POLLUTEC Lyon, 7 - 10/10/2025 - CK World
Global Cement
Online condition monitoring experts for proactive and predictive maintenance - DALOG
  • Home
  • News
  • Conferences
  • Magazine
  • Directory
  • Reports
  • Members
  • Live
  • Login
  • Advertise
  • Knowledge Base
  • Alternative Fuels
  • Privacy & Cookie Policy
  • About
  • Trial subscription
  • Contact
News Researchers develop self-cooling cement

Researchers develop self-cooling cement

Written by Global Cement staff 27 August 2025
  • Print

China/US: A team led by Fengyin Du, then at Southeast University in Nanjing, developed a new cement formulation that reflects sunlight and emits heat more effectively than ordinary Portland cement, according to the New Scientist. The cement incorporates reflective ettringite crystals on its surface, which Du says “works like a mirror and a radiator, so it can reflect sunlight away and send heat out into the sky, so a building can stay cooler without any air conditioning or electricity.”

To make it, the researchers produce tiny pellets from limestone and gypsum, which are ground and mixed with water before being poured into a silicone mould covered in small holes. Ettringite crystals grow in slight depressions on the surface created by air bubbles, while an aluminium-rich gel allows infrared light to pass through, lowering heat retention.

Du said that tests at Purdue University, Indiana showed the cement’s surface was 5.4°C cooler than the air and 26°C cooler than conventional cement under the same conditions. The process is reportedly scalable and costs US$5/t less than ordinary Portland cement, as it can be produced at lower temperatures.

Last modified on 27 August 2025
Published in Global Cement News
Tagged under
  • China
  • US
  • innovation
  • Research
  • Study
  • Trial
  • Southeast University
  • Asia
  • GCW724

Related items

  • CEMROS opens new cement terminal in Novocheboksarsk
  • Vietnam’s cement output rises by 15% in first nine months of 2025
  • Flying Cement posts financial results for financial year ending June 2025
  • Ambuja Cements to build grinding unit at Adani’s Gangavaram Port
  • Indocement signs MoU with Makassar government for RDF collaboration
back to top
“Loesche
Power, precision and performance! All in one machine. SR-MAX2500 Primary Shredder for MSW - Fornnax
AirScrape - the new sealing standard for transfer points in conveying systems - ScrapeTec
UNITECR Cancun 2025 - JW Marriott Cancun - October 27 - 30, 2025, Cancun Mexico - Register Now
Acquisition Asia carbon capture Cemex China CO2 concrete coronavirus data decarbonisation Export Germany Government grinding plant Holcim Import India Investment LafargeHolcim market Pakistan Plant Product Production Results Sales Sustainability UK Upgrade US
« October 2025 »
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
    1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31    



Sign up for FREE to Global Cement Weekly
Global Cement LinkedIn
Global Cement Facebook
Global Cement X
  • Home
  • News
  • Conferences
  • Magazine
  • Directory
  • Reports
  • Members
  • Live
  • Login
  • Advertise
  • Knowledge Base
  • Alternative Fuels
  • Privacy & Cookie Policy
  • About
  • Trial subscription
  • Contact
  • CemFuels Asia
  • Global CemBoards
  • Global CemCCUS
  • Global CementAI
  • Global CemFuels
  • Global Concrete
  • Global FutureCem
  • Global Gypsum
  • Global GypSupply
  • Global Insulation
  • Global Slag
  • Latest issue
  • Articles
  • Editorial programme
  • Contributors
  • Back issues
  • Subscribe
  • Photography
  • Register for free copies
  • The Last Word
  • Global Gypsum
  • Global Slag
  • Global CemFuels
  • Global Concrete
  • Global Insulation
  • Pro Global Media
  • PRoIDS Online
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • X

© 2025 Pro Global Media Ltd. All rights reserved.