Steag

High-tech road pavements decompose nitrogen oxides

In summer 2015 the European Commission submitted a complaint to Germany due to several years of non-compliance with the threshold value of 40 µg/m³ stipulated for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a major air pollutants.

The Federal Ministry of the Environment attributes more than 45,000 deaths per year to excessively high particulate and nitrogen dioxide concentrations in Germany. Vehicle traffic emits a particularly large amount of this pollutant gas.

Alternative to traffic ­prohibitions

Enlarged low-emission zones, traffic slow-downs or even prohibitions are very unpopular with the general public. Concrete pavers that contain ­Photoment provide a practical alternative to effectively improve the quality of the air in polluted city areas.

Over several years, this concrete additive has been developed and improved by Steag Power Minerals in cooperation with Kronos. It can be added to any type of concrete paver. Light triggers photocatalytic processes that decompose airborne nitrogen dioxide – without requiring additional energy input. A Photoment pavement the size of a FIFA football pitch has the capacity to remove 17 g/h of nitrogen oxides from the air we breathe, thus completely neutralizing the associated harmful effect.

x

Related articles:

Issue 06/2016 Steag

Photoment wins GreenTec Award 2016

Steag Power Minerals has won the GreenTec Award for the innovative Photoment concrete additive for the decomposition of nitrogen oxides. Recently, general manager, Andreas ­Hugot, has received...

more
Issue 04/2015 Submitted by/Eingereicht von: Steag

Innovation: Photoment

Photoment is a concrete admixture with photocatalytic activity. It consists of a combination of flyash particles and different titanium dioxides (TiO2). On a photocatalytic surface, under the action...

more
Issue 09/2019 ADOLF BLATT

Paving block used against nitrogen oxides in Stuttgart

On the site of the former freight train station in Bad Cannstatt, Germany, a new 25-hectare residential and industrial estate, NeckarPark, is currently under construction. The site was acquired in...

more
Issue 01/2015

Increasing efficiency in the degradation of airborne pollutants by photocatalytically modified concretes

1. Introduction EU legislation increasingly defines limits for airborne pollutants as our awareness of the environment is growing, which directly influences our health and well-being [1]. Vehicle...

more
Issue 02/2018 Clean cities by means of photocatalysis

Less nitrogen oxides, more beautiful surfaces

Compliance with the limits set by the EU for nitrogen oxides is still posing a challenge for cities and municipalities. Contrary to measures such as driving bans, which have a negative impact on...

more