Unlocking Alternative Cement Solutions: Utilizing Wastes and By-Products for Magnesium Phosphate Cement Development

Abstract

Concrete is the most used material worldwide, with cement as its essential component. Cement production, however, has a considerable environmental footprint contributing nearly 8% of global CO2 emissions, largely from clinker calcination. This review aims to examine strategies for reducing these emissions, with a particular focus on alternative materials for producing magnesium phosphate cements (MPCs). Specifically, the objectives are first to summarize mitigation pathways, such as CO2 capture, energy efficiency, and alternative raw materials, and second evaluate the feasibility of using industrial wastes and by-products, including low-grade MgO, tundish deskulling waste (TUN), boron-MgO (B-MgO), and magnesia refractory brick waste (MRB), as MgO sources for MPC. The review highlights that these materials represent a promising route to reduce the environmental impact of cement production and support the transition toward carbon neutrality by 2050.