Dr Theodore Hanein
PhD, MSc, BSc (Chemistry), BSc (Chemical Engineering), MIMMM
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
UKRI Future Leaders Fellow
Director, Centre for Experimental Thermodynamics (CETUK)
Internal grant review programme leader

+44 114 222 5464
Full contact details
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Sir Robert Hadfield Building
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
- Profile
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Theodore Hanein (Theo) graduated with both a BSc in Chemistry (2010) and a BSc in Chemical Engineering (2011) from the University of Balamand in Lebanon. After a summer internship as a process engineering trainee in a cement manufacturing plant, he then went on to complete his Masters degree from the University of Manchester (2012) in Advanced Process Integration and Design (MSc Refinery Design and Operation). He started his doctoral studies soon after and in 2016 was awarded a PhD from the University of Aberdeen where he specialised in calcium sulfoaluminate cement technology and clinker thermodynamics. He then immediately started working as a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Sheffiled. In 2021, Theo was awarded the prestigious UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship on “Green, Circular, and Smart Cement Manufacture” worth £2.5M (£1.7M from UKRI). His ~£6M funding track record includes ~£1M from industry.
Theo is highly experienced in thermochemistry and his research centres around green, circular, and smart materials and their processing; his main area of research is in sustainable cement production. He is highly experienced in cement clinker formulation and pyro processing, including the successful scale-up and pilot demonstration of the production of novel low-carbon cement clinkers on several occasions. He is responsible for pioneering the use of atmospheric control during clinker manufacture, for quality control and to produce novel clinkers. Theo developed the first thermodynamic database that is tailored specifically for cement clinkering and is experienced in kiln heat transfer modelling. He is involved in several projects, promoting a circular economy, resource efficiency, industrial decarbonisation, industrial symbiosis, and producing novel sustainable materials (e.g., clinker, cement, and concrete) and processes; in this regard, he has also consulted for several multinational corporations. The word cloud shown summarises his research track record.
- Qualifications
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- PhD Chemical Engineering (Cement Technology)
- MSc Advanced Process Design and Integration (Refinery Design and Operation)
- BSc Chemical Engineering
- BSc Chemistry
- Publications
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Journal articles
- Sustainable iron-rich cements: Raw material sources and binder types. Cement and Concrete Research, 157.
- Ferritic calcium sulfoaluminate belite cement from metallurgical industry residues and phosphogypsum : clinker production, scale-up, and microstructural characterisation. Cement and Concrete Research, 154.
- Blending eco-efficient calcium sulfoaluminate belite ferrite cement to enhance the physico–mechanical properties of Portland cement paste cured in refrigerated and natural winter conditions. Cement and Concrete Composites, 104469-104469.
- Clay calcination technology: state-of-the-art review by the RILEM TC 282-CCL. Materials and Structures, 55(1).
- Decarbonisation of calcium carbonate at atmospheric temperatures and pressures, with simultaneous CO2 capture, through production of sodium carbonate. Energy & Environmental Science.
- The effect of fluoride and iron content on the clinkering of alite-ye’elimite-ferrite (AYF) cement systems. Frontiers in Built Environment, 7. View this article in WRRO
- Producing cement clinker assemblages in the system : CaO-SiO2-Al2O3-SO3-CaCl2-MgO. Cement and Concrete Research, 144.
- Pyro processing cement kiln bypass dust : enhancing clinker phase formation. Construction and Building Materials, 259.
- Estimation of standard molar entropy of cement hydrates and clinker minerals. Cement and Concrete Research, 136. View this article in WRRO
- Thermodynamic data for cement clinkering. Cement and Concrete Research, 132. View this article in WRRO
- Production and properties of ferrite-rich CSAB cement from metallurgical industry residues. Science of the Total Environment, 712. View this article in WRRO
- Alite calcium sulfoaluminate cement: chemistry and thermodynamics. Advances in Cement Research, 31(3), 94-105. View this article in WRRO
- Carbon footprint of calcium sulfoaluminate clinker production. Journal of Cleaner Production, 172, 2278-2287. View this article in WRRO
- Pilot scale production of novel calcium sulfoaluminate cement clinkers and development of thermal model. Chemical Engineering and Processing: Process Intensification, 122, 68-75.
- Advances in clinkering technology of calcium sulfoaluminate cement. Advances in Cement Research, 29(10), 405-417. View this article in WRRO
- Enthalpy of formation of ye’elimite and ternesite. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry. View this article in WRRO
- Stability of ternesite and the production at scale of ternesite-based clinkers. Cement and Concrete Research, 98, 91-100. View this article in WRRO
- One-dimensional steady-state thermal model for rotary kilns used in the manufacture of cement. Advances in Applied Ceramics, 116(4), 207-215. View this article in WRRO
- Phase Compatibility in the System CaO–SiO₂–Al₂O₃–SO₃–FE₂O₃ and the Effect of Partial Pressure on the Phase Stability. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 56(9), 2341-2349. View this article in WRRO
- Production of belite calcium sulfoaluminate cement using sulfur as a fuel and as a source of clinker sulfur trioxide: pilot kiln trial. Advances in Cement Research, 28(10), 643-653. View this article in WRRO
- Activity of Highly Dispersed Co/SBA-15 Catalysts (Low Content) in Carbon Black Oxidation. Physics Procedia, 55, 231-236.
Chapters
- Cement-based stabilization/solidification of radioactive waste, Low Carbon Stabilization and Solidification of Hazardous Wastes (pp. 407-431). Elsevier
Conference proceedings papers
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- Sustainable iron-rich cements: Raw material sources and binder types. Cement and Concrete Research, 157.
- Research group
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Post Doctoral Research Associates
- Maryam Derkani - Research Associate in Green & Circular Cement Materials
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(Post advertised) Research Associate in Clinker Thermodynamics
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(Post advertised) Research Associate in Cement Clinkering
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(Post advertised) Research Associate in Cement Hydration
Post Doctoral Research Associates (as co-supervisor)
- Amr Aboulela - Research Associate in Cements for a Circular Economy
PhD Students (as main supervisor)
- Zhili Ren - Effect of cooling rates on the properties of Portland cement clinker and in the presence of unconventional/minor elements
- (Post advertised) Durability of belitic calcium sulfoaluminate cements
- (Post advertised) Physical properties of belitic calcium sulfoaluminate cements with/out addition of calcined clay
- (Post advertised) Developing novel iron-rich cement
- (Post advertised) Understanding the hydration of ferrite in Portland cement
PhD Students (as co-supervisor)
- Douglas Scammell: Circular solutions for structural concrete waste from the UK nuclear industry (with Dr Hajime Kinoshita)
- Siti Rohaidah Yahaya: Recycling concrete from decommissioning nuclear infrastructure (with Dr Hajime Kinoshita)
- Chun Long Woo: Separation and recovery of materials for sustainable decarbonisation of limestone (with Dr Hajime Kinoshita)
- Han Zhao: Acceleration of M-S-H gel formation through the addition of alkali carbonates (with Dr Hajime Kinoshita)
- Marco Simoni: Alternative low CO2 emissions limestone decarbonisation at room temperature by reaction with NaOH solution (with Dr Hajime Kinoshita)
- Visa Isteri - University of Oulu: Production of calcium sulfoaluminate based cements from metallurgical industry residues (with Prof. Timo Fabritius)
- Grants
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Live Projects
- FeRICH: Developing iron-rich cement clinker & understanding ferrite for the valorisation & upcycling of steel slags (UKRI-EPSRC) - Principal Investigator
- Developing Sustainable Syrian Cement from Local Raw and Recycled Materials (CARA) - Co-investigator
- Green, Circular, and Smart Cement Manufacture (UKRI) - Principal Investigator
- Effect of cooling rates on the properties of Portland cement clinker in the presence of minor components (Mg, S, Na, Zn, F, P) (Innovandi) - Principal Investigator
- High temperature thermodynamics and phase equilibria of Portland cement clinkers (Nanocem) - Co-investigator
- Application of molten alkaline hydroxides for low temperature decarbonation of limestone for sustainable cement manufacturing (EPSRC) Research - Co-investigator
- Decarbonisation of limestone at room temperature by mixing with sodium hydroxide solutions (CEMEX) - Co-investigator
- Separation of materials for sustainable decarbonisation of limestone (CEMEX) - Co-investigator
Competed Projects
- Recycled concrete aggregate from destroyed buildings in Syria (CARA) - Co-investigator
- Using molten salts in cement manufacture (CEMEX/EPSRC) - Post Doctoral Research Associate
- Teaching activities
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MAT2600: Materials for Structural Applications
MAT2920: Materials and Energy
- Professional activities
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Professional recognition
- Editorial Board Member / Associate Editor for the journal Advances in Cement Research
- Scientific Committee member of the Calcined Clays for Sustainable Concrete 2022 Conference, 5-7 July 2022, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Member of UKRI-EPSRC Peer Review College
- Professional member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (MIoM3)
- Member of RILEM (and on the technical committee 282-CCL on “Calcined Clays as Supplementary Cementitious Materials”)
- Materials Early Career Researchers (ECRs) lead/champion representing more than 100 ECRs in the UKRI National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research (NICER) programme
- Supporting and mentoring exiled and at-risk academics through CARA (https://www.cara.ngo/)
Awards
- UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship
- Early Career Researcher Award from the British Lime Association
- In the media
Theo is available for public/media engagement and consultancy.
Recent media coverage:
- Low temperature method for decarbonising limestone locks carbon dioxide up as a mineral
- Scaling up the production of eco-efficient cements made from industrial side streams
- Adjusting pH levels in drinking water: key to combatting the obesity crisis and sugar in beverages
- New material research aims to reduce the environmental impact of both cement and steel industries
- Materials researcher recognised as leader of innovation