Cement is essential for building cities, but traditional mixes trap heat, making streets and buildings hotter and fueling demand for air conditioning. A team led by Fengyin Du at Southeast University has developed a new cement that does the opposite—reflecting sunlight and radiating heat away.
The innovation relies on crystals of ettringite that form on the cement’s surface, supported by tiny pores and an aluminum-rich gel. Together, they allow the material to act as both mirror and radiator. Produced from common minerals like limestone and gypsum, the cement is manufactured at lower temperatures, cutting emissions during production by about 25 percent.
Tests at Purdue University found that the material stayed 5.4°C cooler than surrounding air and 26°C cooler than ordinary Portland cement. It continued releasing heat at night, showing round-the-clock cooling potential. Despite these changes, it proved highly durable, with compressive strength above 100 MPa and resistance to scratches, freeze-thaw cycles, UV exposure, and corrosion.
Researchers also created colored versions—yellow, green, and red—that maintained about 90% reflectivity, offering new design options for cities. Over a 70-year lifecycle, one tonne of the cement could cut up to 2,867 kilograms of CO₂ compared to standard cement.
Published in Science Advances, the study highlights how this material could reduce energy demand, lower emissions, and extend building lifespans—helping cities build cooler, more sustainable neighborhoods.
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Photo by Joel Durkee on Unsplash
