[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 114 (Tuesday, June 14, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35969-35970]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-12744]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


Low Carbon Cements and Concretes Consortium

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of research consortium.

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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an 
agency of the United States Department of Commerce, in support of 
efforts to develop standards for low carbon construction materials, is 
establishing the Low Carbon Cements and Concretes Consortium 
(``Consortium''). The Consortium will bring together stakeholders to 
identify and address measurement and standards needs related to low 
carbon cements and concretes used to reduce the overall greenhouse gas 
emissions from cement and concrete products. The Consortium efforts are 
intended to develop measurement solutions and standards to improve 
measurement confidence, establish measurement traceability, and enable 
comparability in the measurements to quantify carbon and carbonate in 
low carbon cements and concretes. Participants will be required to sign 
a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA).

DATES: The Consortium's activities will commence on June 1, 2022 
(``Commencement Date''). NIST will accept letters of interest to 
participate in this Consortium on an ongoing basis.

ADDRESSES: Completed letters of interest or requests for additional 
information about the Consortium can be directed via mail to the 
Consortium Manager, Dr. Pamela Chu, Chemical Sciences Division of 
NIST's Material Measurement Laboratory, 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 
8320, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, or via electronic mail to 
[email protected], or by telephone at (301) 975-2988.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: J'aime Maynard, CRADA Administrator, 
National Institute of Standards and Technology's Technology 
Partnerships Office, by mail to 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 2200, 
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, by electronic mail to 
[email protected], or by telephone at (301) 975-8408.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Cement is one of the most widely used 
materials and a critical component of roads, bridges, and buildings. 
Cement manufacturing is also a major contributor to carbon dioxide 
(CO2) emissions through both energy use and calcination 
reactions. To help meet net zero climate goals, industry is developing 
a variety of techniques to reduce the net amount of CO2 
emitted from cement and concrete manufacturing. For example, one 
approach is to change the composition of the cement to reduce the total 
manufacturing process emissions. Another approach is to take advantage 
of carbonation, the uptake of CO2, by curing concrete under 
a CO2 atmosphere or injecting CO2 during the 
mixing process.
    The initial focus of this consortium is to evaluate, develop, and 
standardize methods to characterize and quantify the carbon and 
carbonates in new low carbon cements and concretes. Test methods to 
specifically measure carbon in these materials will be explored. A 
later focus of the consortium will be to evaluate the suitability of 
current measurement standards to measure the material, mechanical, 
structural, and durability properties and, where appropriate, develop 
new test methods needed to help enable acceptance of new low carbon 
cements and concretes in the marketplace. NIST and industrial partners 
will perform research together with the following four goals:
     Evaluate the suitability of current ASTM standards to 
measure carbon, including specifically measuring carbon in cements, 
concretes, and the associated starting materials such as aggregates.
     Accurately measure the amount of carbon uptake by a 
material during CO2-curing processes. Validate the 
robustness and repeatability of the measurement method.
     Use these measurements as a foundation to propose tests(s) 
that can be standardized through the ASTM consensus process.
     Evaluate the applicability of current material, 
mechanical, structural, and durability tests used for cements and 
concretes to new low carbon cements and concretes. If needed, develop 
new

[[Page 35970]]

tests or point out why old tests are not needed to help enable 
acceptance of these new materials in the marketplace.
    No proprietary information will be shared as part of the 
Consortium. Participants will not be required to contribute any funds 
or pay any fee. Contributions of sample low carbon cements, concretes, 
and associated aggregates are highly encouraged.

Participation Process

    Eligibility will be determined by NIST based on the information 
provided by prospective participants in response to this notice. NIST 
will evaluate the submitted responses from prospective participants to 
determine eligibility to participate in this Consortium. Prospective 
participants should provide a letter of interest with the following 
information to NIST's Consortium Manager:
    (1) A description of their experience in low carbon cements and 
concretes, production and characterization of cements, concretes, and 
associated starting materials such as aggregates, standard methods to 
evaluate cements and concretes, and related expertise to contribute to 
the Consortium.
    (2) List of interested party's anticipated participants.
    Letters of interest must not include business proprietary 
information. NIST will not treat any information provided in response 
to this notice as proprietary information. NIST will notify each 
organization of its eligibility. In order to participate in this 
Consortium, each eligible organization must sign a CRADA for this 
Consortium. All participants in this Consortium will be bound by the 
same terms and conditions. NIST does not guarantee participation in the 
Consortium to any organization submitting a letter of interest.
    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 3710a.

Alicia Chambers,
NIST Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2022-12744 Filed 6-13-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P