PAU-Agri-engineer innovates Geopolymer cement

Er Manmohan Jain’s geopolymer cement lowers carbon emissions and improves construction efficiency as a sustainable substitute for ordinary Portland cement (OPC).

Er Manmohan Jain, a 1966 batch graduate of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU)’s College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, invented the groundbreaking idea of Geopolymer cement, a green product that might reasonably replace ordinary Portland cement (OPC).

Er Jain, a partner in the Chennai-based company Kiran Global, claims that unlike OPC, geopolymer cement cures more quickly and requires no water for mixing or curing. “Geopolymer cement, which is used to make geopolymer concrete, does not release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and becomes stronger over time. Because of the quick completion, excellent finish, and minimal maintenance, building can be significantly reduced in cost,” he says.

Er Jain further reveals that it utilised in some areas of the Delhi Metro and that precast geopolymer paving stone components are currently utilised by the railways. He points out that our nation is the world’s leading producer of cement and that 800 kg of carbon dioxide is generated for every tons of cement production. Er Jain says the construction sector is a significant source of carbon emissions and related to the usage of geopolymer cement as a step towards sustainable building practices.

Er Jain received praise for creating this innovative technology by Dr. Manjeet Singh, dean of the College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology. He gives credit to the Department of Civil Engineering for its study on the effectiveness of the flash and rice husk ash-based geopolymers, which was also published in reputable publications. “Using geopolymer cement will help reduce the environmental impact of OPC use and production,” he says. However, he highlights that raising knowledge in this area is also necessary in order to promote the usage of geopolymer cement/concrete. Dr Singh went on to say that PAU’s agricultural engineers were thriving in a variety of domains, including farm machinery, software engineering, processing and food engineering, soil and water engineering, and mechanical engineering.

Due to the lack of regulations or codes, the use of geopolymer cement in the construction of walls and other structural elements is still in its infancy, according to Dr. VP Sethi, Head of the Department of Civil Engineering. But he also out that Australia, France, and Russia have been utilising geopolymer cement for decades.

The Alumni Association President, Dr. Preetinder Kaur, recognises Er Jain, an alumni, for his diligent work in creating a geopolymer cement. According to her, PAU’s agricultural engineers are in the forefront of creating innovative approaches to establish sustainable ecosystems worldwide.

For more details , Visit : https://www.pau.edu/

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