Search the repository

A+ | A- | | SLO | ENG

Abstract: Novel prefabricated insulating façade panels were developed from construction and demolition waste (CDW) aggregates under the framework of the European H2020 project InnoWEE. These non-structural components, aimed at improving the thermal efficiency of existing buildings, consist of an insulating plate covered by a facing layer made of CDW aggregates bound with metakaolin, furnace slag and class F fly ash activated by a potassium silicate solution. The paper presents the design and assessment of the binder and panels for exterior use, taking into account mechanical performance, behaviour in the presence of water and durability issues. Testing was carried out on both laboratory prototypes and panels from the pilot industrial production.
Keywords: construction and demolition waste, alkali activated materials, geopolymers, properties, up-scalimg
Published in DiRROS: 21.08.2023; Views: 283; Downloads: 158
Full text (2,99 MB)
This document has many files! More...

Abstract: The paper presents the mechanical and physical characterization of a metakaolin-slag-fly ash-potassium silicate geopolymer mortar embedding inorganic recycled aggregates from Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW). The binder was holistically optimized to comply with the pilot plant requirements for producing architectural panels of satisfactory quality, among them: reduced viscosity, minimum open time of 1 h, use of commercial reagents, sufficient strength and limited shrinkage. Size and aspect ratio of small scale cylindrical specimens were investigated in compression, comparing the performance of tested geopolymers to available provisions for natural rocks, cement concrete and mortars. Empirical correlations between compressive and splitting tensile strength were calibrated through the results of about 130 geopolymer mixtures produced in former and current activities. Lastly, the suitability of reusing geopolymers at their end-of-life as recycled aggregates in a new geopolymer production was preliminarily assessed to explore the feasibility of a closed-loop process.
Keywords: construction and demolition waste, alkali activated materials, geopolymers, properties
Published in DiRROS: 17.08.2023; Views: 295; Downloads: 162
Full text (2,88 MB)
This document has many files! More...

Abstract: Alkali-activated foams (AAFs) present one of the most promising materials for use in the construction sector. Their main advantages lie in their utilization of waste material and their ability to form at temperatures well below 100 °C, while still competing in performance with foamed glass or ceramics. The present body of research has focused on improving the thermal stability of fly-ash foams by i) adding metakaolin, and ii) changing the activator from sodium-based to potassium-based components. It has been confirmed that a certain increase in thermal resistance is achieved through the addition of metakaolin while changing activators played a crucial role. While sodium-based AAFs without metakaolin start to shrink at approximately 600 °C, samples that have had metakaolin added start to shrink at approximately 700 °C. Samples without metakaolin that have used a potassium activator start to shrink at approximately 800 °C, whereas potassium-based samples with the addition of metakaolin start to shrink at approximately 900 °C.
Keywords: alkali activated materials, geopolymers, high temperature, resistance, foams
Published in DiRROS: 01.08.2023; Views: 270; Downloads: 208
Full text (13,91 MB)
This document has many files! More...

Abstract: Alkali-activated foams (AAFs) are inorganic porous materials that can be obtained at temperatures well below 100° C with the use of inorganic wastes as aluminosilicate precursors. In this case, fly ash derived from a Slovenian power plant has been investigated. Despite the environmental benefits per se, due to saving of energy and virgin materials, when using waste materials, it is of extreme importance to also evaluate the potential leaching of heavy metal cations from the alkali-activated foams. This article presents an environmental study of a porous geopolymer derived from this particular fly ash, with respect to the leachability of potentially hazardous elements, its environmental toxicity as determined by biological testing, and the environmental impact of its production. In particular, attention was focused to investigate whether or not 1,000 °C-fired alkali- activated fly ash and metakaolin-based foams, cured at 70 °C, are environmentally friendlier options compared to unfired ones, and attempts to explain the rationale of the results were done. Eventually, the firing process at 1,000 ° C, apart from improving technical performance, could reinforce heavy metal cation entrapment within the aluminosilicate matrix. Since technical performance was also modified by addition of different types of activators (K-based or Na-based), as well as by partial replacement of fly ash with metakaolin, a life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis was performed to quantify the effect of these additions and processes (curing at 70 ° C and firing at 1,000 °C) in terms of global warming potential. Selected samples were also evaluated in terms of leaching of potentially deleterious elements as well as for the immobilization effect of firing. The leaching test indicated that none of the alkali-activated material is classified as hazardous, not even the as-received fly ash as component of new AAF. All of the alkali-activated foams do meet the requirements for an inertness. The highest impact on bacterial colonies was found in samples that did not undergo firing procedures, i.e., those that were cured at 70 °C, which induced the reduction of bacterial Enterococcus faecalis viability. The second family of bacteria tested, Escherichia coli, appeared more resistant to the alkaline environment (pH = 10–12) generated by the unfired AAMs. Cell viability recorded the lowest value for unfired alkali-activated materials produced from fly ash and K-based activators. Its reticulation is only partial, with the leachate solution appearing to be characterized with the most alkaline pH and with the highest ionic conductivity, i.e., highest number of soluble ions. By LCA, it has been shown that 1) changing K-based activators to Na-based activators increases environmental impact of the alkali-activated foams by 1%–4% in terms of most of the impact categories (taking into account the production stage). However, in terms of impact on abiotic depletion of elements and impact on ozone layer depletion, the increase is relatively more significant (11% and 18%, respectively); 2) replacing some parts of fly ash with metakaolin also results in relatively higher environmental footprint (increase of around 1%–4%, while the impact on abiotic depletion of elements increases by 14%); and finally, 3) firing at 1,000°C contributes significantly to the environmental footprint of alkali- activated foams. In such a case, the footprint increases by around one third, compared to the footprint of alkali-activated foams produced at 70 ° C. A combination of LCA and leaching/toxicity behavior analysis presents relevant combinations, which can provide information about long-term environmental impact of newly developed waste-based materials.
Keywords: alkali activated materials, geopolimers, leaching, LCA
Published in DiRROS: 20.06.2023; Views: 285; Downloads: 167
Full text (3,42 MB)
This document has many files! More...

Abstract: In the present study, four different locally available waste glass materials (bottle glass-BG, glass wool-GW, stone wool-SW and cathode-ray tube glass-CRTG) were treated with hot concentrated potassium hydroxide (KOH) in order to obtain alternative alkali activators (AAAs). We evaluated the suitability of the solutions obtained for use as AAAs in the production of AAMs. AAMs were prepared using electric arc furnace slag and selected AAAs with a higher content of dissolved Si. We evaluated the performance of the AAMs in comparison to that of slags activated with KOH or potassium-silicate (K-silicate). The compressive strength of the AAMs prepared with KOH-based AAAs were high when Si and Al were simultaneously abundant in the AAA (9.47 MPa when using the activator sourced from the CRTG), and low with the addition of KOH alone (1.97 MPa). The AAM produced using commercial K-silicate yielded the highest compressive strength (27.7 MPa). The porosity of the KOH-based AAM was lowest when an alternative BG-based activator was used (24.1%), when it was similar to that of the AAM prepared with a K-silicate. The BG-based activator had the highest silicon content (33.1 g/L), and NMR revealed that Si was present in the form of Q0, Q1 and Q2. The concentrations of toxic trace elements in the AAAs used for alkali activation of the slag were also determined, and leaching experiments were performed on the AAMs to evaluate the immobilisation potential of alkali-activated slag. In the SW AAAs the results show acceptable concentrations of trace and minor elements with respect to the regulations on waste disposal sites, while in the activators prepared from BG, CRTG and GW some elements exceeded the allowable limits (Pb, Ba, Sb, and As).
Keywords: alkali activated materials/geopolymers, alternative activators, NMR, leaching
Published in DiRROS: 08.06.2023; Views: 331; Downloads: 212
Full text (2,26 MB)
This document has many files! More...