UPN 'Veteran' Yogyakarta Creates Environmentally Friendly Eco-Cement from Eggshells and Water Hyacinth

UPN 'Veteran' Yogyakarta Creates Environmentally Friendly Eco-Cement from Eggshells and Water Hyacinth

Yogyakarta, February 4, 2025 – A research team from the Chemical Engineering Department of UPN "Veteran" Yogyakarta has successfully developed an innovative eco-cement made from eggshells and water hyacinth, which is environmentally friendly and has the potential to be a construction material of the future. This research is led by Dr. Heri Septya Kusuma, S.Si., M.T., together with four students: Aurelio Muhammad Saleemah Agung, Najla Anira Putri, Muhamad Shifu, and Nafisa Illiyanasafa.

The results of this research have been published in the Hybrid Advances journal, which is indexed in Scopus, under the article titled "Production and Characterization of Eco-Cement Using Eggshell Powder and Water Hyacinth Ash." The eco-cement contains more than 70% calcium oxide (CaO) and silica (SiO₂), which are important in enhancing the material’s strength.

Using advanced material characterization technologies like XRF, FTIR, and SEM, the team confirmed that this eco-cement is of comparable quality to conventional cement, with the potential to reduce carbon emissions by up to 30% compared to traditional cement. The production process of eco-cement generates 600–650 kg of CO₂ per ton, which is lower than the 850–900 kg of CO₂ per ton produced by conventional Portland cement.

Dr. Heri added that this research proves that agro-waste materials, such as eggshells and water hyacinth, can replace some of the raw materials used in cement production, while also addressing waste management issues and reducing dependence on limited natural resources. The hope is that this research can be applied in the industry and construction projects in the future to support sustainable development.