Injecting CO2 into curing concrete converts a greenhouse gas into solid mineral, strengthening the material while sequestering carbon for good. This 2D view plots the same reaction-site kinetics as the 3D original on a flat plane.
Ca(OH)2 + CO2 -> CaCO3 + H2O
v = Vmax * S / (Km * 30 + S)
- CO2 injected — CO2 gas pumped into the curing chamber during concrete setting.
- Aggregate sites — calcium-rich aggregate surface sites available for carbonation.
- Mineralization affinity — how readily CO2 reacts with an available calcium site on contact.
- Curing rate — how quickly a reacted site fully solidifies into stable calcium carbonate.
CO2-cured concrete (as produced by companies like CarbonCure) permanently locks captured CO2 into the building itself rather than requiring separate geological storage.