Diatomaceous Earth Applications in Cementitious Materials

Diatomaceous earth (DE), a siliceous sedimentary rock derived from fossilised diatom frustules, has emerged as a versatile supplementary cementitious material. Its high specific surface area and predominantly amorphous silica content confer notable pozzolanic reactivity, enabling it to consume calcium hydroxide and form additional calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H). Incorporation of DE into cementitious systems can refine pore structure, enhance mechanical strength, improve durability against chemical attack and reduce the carbon footprint by lowering cement demand. Applications range from conventional mortars to ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC), pervious pavements, repair mortars and geopolymer formulations. Tailoring calcination temperatures optimises the reactivity of DE, while replacement levels between 5 % and 15 % by mass often yield the best trade-off between workability and performance. Recent research has demonstrated that modest DE additions can achieve up to 50 % gains in early compressive strength, elevate resistance to chloride ingress, and maintain adequate permeability in pervious structures. The global abundance and low energy requirements for processing make DE an attractive ingredient for sustainable construction, particularly in regions with extensive diatomite deposits.

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Diatomaceous Earth Applications in Cementitious Materials publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in diatomaceous earth applications in cementitious materials across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Diatomaceous earth: Biogenic silica-rich sedimentary rock comprising fossilised diatom frustules used as a supplementary cementitious material with high porosity and reactivity.

Pozzolanic reaction: Chemical process in which amorphous silica reacts with calcium hydroxide to form additional cementitious calcium silicate hydrate compounds.

Calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H): Principal binding phase in hydrated cement responsible for mechanical strength and durability.

Calcination: Thermal activation process that increases the amorphous silica content and reactivity of diatomaceous earth.

Permeability: Measure of fluid flow through porous concrete, critical for pervious pavement performance.

Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC): Cementitious composite characterised by exceptional mechanical strength, durability and low porosity.

References

1. Diatomaceous Earth: Characterization, thermal modification, and application. Open Chemistry (2021).
2. Implementation of Alternative Mineral Additives in Low-Emission Sustainable Cement Composites. Materials (2021).
3. Green Pervious Concrete Containing Diatomaceous Earth as Supplementary Cementitous Materials for Pavement Applications. Materials (2022).
4. The Effects of Diatomite as an Additive on the Macroscopic Properties and Microstructure of Concrete. Materials (2023).
5. Mechanical properties and durability of ultra-high-performance concrete with calcined diatomaceous earth as cement replacement. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Materials (2023).
6. Diatomaceous Earth—Lightweight Pozzolanic Admixtures for Repair Mortars—Complex Chemical and Physical Assessment. Materials (2022).
7. A Review on the Incorporation of Diatomaceous Earth as a Geopolymer-Based Concrete Building Resource. Materials (2022).