A method of manufacturing unitized formed mineral-based construction materials includes providing starting materials that include an aggregate, a cementing agent and water. The starting materials are mixed to achieve a mixture of the starting materials which is then placed into a form and cured to allow the mixture of starting materials to become a solidified unit. The solidified unit of the mixture of starting materials is defined by a minimum dimension of thickness, length, and/or diameter. The solidified unit of the mixture of starting materials is placed into a kiln which is then heated to a processing temperature of between about 1000 C. and about 1350 C. and maintained for a period of time of between about 10 minutes and about 60 minutes per centimeter of the minimum dimension of the solidified unit of the mixture of starting materials.

The invention provides a curing system that is useful for curing materials that consume carbon dioxide as a reagent. The system has a curing chamber that contains the material to be cured and a gas that contains carbon dioxide. The system includes apparatus that can deliver carbon dioxide to displace ambient air upon loading the system, that can provide carbon dioxide as it is needed and as it is consumed, that can control carbon dioxide concentration, temperature and humidity in the curing chamber during the curing cycle and that can record and display to a user the variables that occur during the curing process. A method of curing a material which requires CO.sub.2 as a curing reagent is also described.

Methods of reducing dry crack formation in ceramic matrix composite green bodies are provided. Some of the methods expose the green body to a gaseous atmosphere at a relatively high humidity for a first period, and then slowly lower the humidity over a second period, where the gaseous atmosphere is at room temperature for both periods. Other methods start the gaseous atmosphere at room temperature and then raise the temperature to a higher temperature while the humidity is relatively high, and hold that temperature even as the humidity is lowered in the second period.

A method of manufacturing unitized formed mineral-based construction materials includes providing starting materials that include an aggregate, a cementing agent and water. The starting materials are mixed to achieve a mixture of the starting materials which is then placed into a form and cured to allow the mixture of starting materials to become a solidified unit. The solidified unit of the mixture of starting materials is defined by a minimum dimension of thickness, length, and/or diameter. The solidified unit of the mixture of starting materials is placed into a kiln which is then heated to a processing temperature of between about 1000 C. and about 1350 C. and maintained for a period of time of between about 10 minutes and about 60 minutes per centimeter of the minimum dimension of the solidified unit of the mixture of starting materials.

Provided herein are active flow-through carbonation curing systems useful for contacting carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) gas streams with concrete materials under ambient pressure. This contacting causes a carbonation reaction in which CO.sub.2 forms materials, such as, but not limited to, calcium carbonate (CaCO.sub.3). The methods include, but are not limited to, contacting a conditioned flue gas containing CO.sub.2 inside of a carbonation chamber with green bodies or concrete components in which flue gas properties such as temperature, relative humidity, flow rate, and flow direction, are self-adjusted during the curing process based on a self-sensing instrumentation system inside a curing chamber and carbonation kinetic regression model. This system improves CO.sub.2 capture efficiency and material performance while reducing processing energy.

Disclosed are concrete curing blankets having two or more channels. The channels extend longitudinally and are formed by fluid-tight seals, where all of the layers of the blanket are bonded together. The concrete curing blankets are placed over poured and curing concrete to maintain high water content in the concrete during curing and to accelerate the concrete curing and hardening processes.

Automated systems for managing the curing of concrete employ drones that may be employed without contacting a surface of the concrete. The drones may include sensing drones, which may monitor one or more conditions of the concrete as it cures, application drones, which may apply moisture, curing aids, and/or other chemicals to the concrete to control the manner in which the concrete cures, and/or support drones that may carry conduits that extend between a source of moisture, a curing aid, and/or another chemical and an application drone to prevent the conduits from contacting the surface of the concrete. Such a system may also include a central control unit that receives information about the curing concrete and uses that information to manage curing of the concrete, including coordination of the movement and operation of various drones used to manage curing of the concrete.

Disclosed are concrete curing blankets having two or more channels. The channels extend longitudinally and are formed by fluid-tight seals, where all of the layers of the blanket are bonded together. The concrete curing blankets are placed over poured and curing concrete to maintain high water content in the concrete during curing and to accelerate the concrete curing and hardening processes.