Cement: portrait of a product

Cement is a binding agent and acts as the base material in the production of concrete. It first forms as a grey powder when limestone, marl or clay are burned. Mixing this powder with water triggers a chemical reaction that ultimately leads to the cement solidifying and hardening.

Cement: a high-tech product made from natural raw materials

A high-tech product made from natural raw materials

The story of cement goes back a long way. The ancient Egyptians used a cement-like substance (known as ‘geopolymeric concrete’) made from burned chalk and gypsum to bond building blocks together permanently. The Romans built their monuments, including the Pantheon and the Colosseum, using “Roman concrete”, a forerunner to the modern material.