21. Weathering effects on cellulose acetate microplastics from discarded cigarette buttsBranka Mušič, Andrijana Sever Škapin, 2024, published scientific conference contribution (invited lecture) Abstract: Cellulose acetate, commonly used in cigarette filters, poses environmental concerns due to its questionable (bio)degradability and prevalent presence in nature. This study compares the weathering effects on two types of cigarette filters: traditional and newer filters used in heated tobacco devices (HTP). Microplastics were derived from used cigarette parts and then subjected to artificial aging. Analytical techniques (Thermogravimetry-Differential Scanning Calorimetry TG/DSC, Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopic Analysis (FTIR)) and loose bulk density measurements were employed pre- and post-aging cellulose acetate of both types of samples. Despite increasing evidence influencing European Union (EU) directives on tobacco product disposal, there's a lack of systematic analysis on the weathering impact, especially concerning the touted environmental benefits of newer filters. Results indicate decreased particle size in cellulose acetate filters post-aging. Variances were observed in thermal behavior, yet FTIR spectra remained unchanged.
Keywords: cellulose acetate, cigarette filters, microplastics, artificial weathering, polymer degradation
Published in DiRROS: 12.03.2024; Views: 131; Downloads: 141
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22. Green transition in slovenian building and civil engineering industry : 10 years of research on alkali-activated materials and alkali-activated foamsBarbara Horvat, Branka Mušič, 2024, published scientific conference contribution (invited lecture) Abstract: The building and civil engineering industry yearly causes more than 40% of man-made CO2 and consumes raw materials for two-thirds of Mont Everest. To decrease the carbon footprint and consumption of raw materials, alkali-activated materials (AAMs) are researched as an alternative to conventional building and civil engineering products like cements, mortar, and ceramics. Ideally, locally available waste materials are used as ingredients: (i) as precursors that react with alkali and form an aluminosilicate network, and (ii) as fillers that get permanently encapsulated and safely stored in AAMs. The addition of gas bubbles and lightweight fillers transforms AAMs into alkali-activated foams and alkali-activated lightweight materials that have the potential to be used as thermal and acoustic insulation materials. Although AAMs are researched worldwide, this review focuses on the state-of-the-art localised solely to Slovenia, particularly on the materials and curing procedures used, as well as on the scientific contribution of the basic research. Besides, the year 2024 marks 10 years of research on alkali activation of raw and waste inorganic materials in Slovenia.
Keywords: secondary raw material, alkali-activated material, alkali-activated foams, alkali, circular economy, microwave irradiation, mechanical strength
Published in DiRROS: 12.03.2024; Views: 109; Downloads: 104
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23. Influence of ammonium polyphosphates and 2,4,6-triamino-1,3,5-triazine on the mechanical-physical properties of polyurethane and alkali-activated materialsBranka Mušič, Barbara Horvat, 2024, published scientific conference contribution Abstract: In building constructions, the tendency towards an ever-better material directs us to composite materials. In this work, we prepared an organic-organic and organic-inorganic composite material by incorporating fire retardants, ammonium polyphosphates, and 2,4,6-triamino-1,3,5-triazine, into a polyurethane network and an aluminosilicate network (ASN) of alkali-activated material. Polyurethane foams (PUR) are well-known materials that, due to their properties, such as low weight-to-strength ratio, low electrical and thermal conductivity, flexibility, and relatively simple preparation process, are used in various industries, also in the construction industry, e.g., for thermal insulation of windows and doors or fixing and sealing joinery. Opposite, the ASN of alkali-activated metakaolin, successfully paves the way for new applications, such as high-temperature protection. In this paper, these interactive properties of prepared composites are studied using thermal testing and mechanical analysis. It was found that inhibitors significantly increase the fire resistance of PUR systems while they slightly reduce the mechanical properties. Incorporating polymer flame retardant into ASN in building products, such as façade panels , can decrease the mechanical properties but can offer the non-flammable building envelope not get heated from burning surroundings, i.e., not becoming a convection heat source, but rather represent a fire-distinguisher for flammable materials.
Keywords: flame retardants, polyurethane, alkali activated material, metakaolin, microwave irradiation, mechanical strength
Published in DiRROS: 12.03.2024; Views: 94; Downloads: 46
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24. Waste rubber incorporated in the alkali-activated metakaolin’s aluminosilicate network enhanced by microwave irradiationBarbara Horvat, Branka Mušič, 2024, published scientific conference contribution Abstract: Building materials represent the possibility of prolonging the life of waste materials. The key is to ensure that the products are suitable for their function. So we activated metakaolin with the alkaline Na-silicate solution in the ratio that ensures the prevention of efflorescence and high mechanical strength (Horvat and Ducman, 2019). As the waste material (to be incorporated in the aluminosilicate network (ASN) of the alkali-activated metakaolin) ground waste rubber from electric cables was used in the preselected mass ratios. Its inclusion in products, like paving stones, can reduce stiffness, improve durability, dampen vibrations, and reduce road noise. The mechanical strengths of test samples with rubber present on the active surface or slightly below were higher compared to samples where rubber was encapsulated throughout the volume. Compressive strength was higher when samples were irradiated with low powers of microwaves while irradiation with higher powers led to the foaming of alkali-activated slurry. The encapsulation quality of the ground rubber was evaluated by SEM while the chemical influence on ASN was determined by EDS, FTIR, and XRD. Slipperiness change on the active surface of pavement stones proved that the addition of the ground rubber enhanced the walking safety of the product.
Keywords: secondary raw material, alkali activated material, waste rubber, metakaolin, encapsulation of organic in inorganic material, microwave irradiation, mechanical strength
Published in DiRROS: 12.03.2024; Views: 100; Downloads: 47
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26. Analysis of alkali-activated mineral wool-slag binders : evaluating the differences between one-part and two-part variationsElijah Adesanya, Rawia Dabbebi, Christine Rößler, Majda Pavlin, Zhenming Li, Tero Luukkonen, Juho Yliniemi, Mirja Illikainen, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: Two synthesis pathways (one- and two-part) in alkali-activated binders were compared using ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), mineral wool (MW) activated using dry and liquid alkali activators with similar Na2O/SiO2 modulus. The effect of activator type on reaction kinetics, strength development, setting times, and durability shows that one-part synthesis does not only improve early strength, but also provide better durability properties. While the highest compressive strength (56 MPa, 90 days) was achieved for the one-part mix (DM), the reaction products (presence of Mg–Al layered double hydroxide and C–S–H-like phases) observed for both mortar mixes were similar. The DM mortars showed better resistance to sulfate attack than two-part mix (WM) mortars and sets faster. The results highlight the significance of the one-part pathways in the synthesis of alkali-activated materials.
Keywords: recycling, alkali activated material, mineral wool
Published in DiRROS: 11.03.2024; Views: 109; Downloads: 78
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27. Ornate Bairdiidae (Ostracoda) in 3 dimensions : exploring carapace morphology and pore canals of Triebelina van den Bold, 1946, Nodobairdia Kollmann, 1963 and Mirabairdia Kollmann, 1963Marie-Béatrice Forel, Nathalie Poulet-Crovisier, Lidija Korat, Rosalie F. Maddocks, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: Marine ostracods of the family Bairdiidae Sars, 1888 have an evolutionary history starting from the Ordovician with an explosive diversification of ornate forms during the Triassic. Representatives of the family are notoriously homeomorphic, which makes their taxonomy a major challenge of modern ostracodology. Their classification has thus been problematic since the 1970s. Here we present the first CT-scan investigation of recent and fossil ornate Bairdiidae valves in order to characterize and evaluate the taxonomic significance of unexploited characters, such as pores and pore canals. Thanks to 3D tomography, we explore the distribution of pores at the surface and the pathway of pore ca- nals within the valve wall of the recent genus Triebelina van den Bold, 1946 and the Triassic genera Nodobairdia Kollmann, 1963 and Mirabairdia Kollmann, 1963. In Triebelina indopacifica van den Bold, 1946, we describe an unexpected system of double pore canals, so far unknown in ostracods. We confirm that pore systems in Triebelina have largely intramural positions. In the Triassic Bairdiidae (Nodobairdia mammilata Kollmann, 1963 and Mirabairdia pernodosa Kollmann, 1963), we recognize simple unrimmed and massively nodular pores as well as marginal pores. Lateral normal pores of the Triassic specimens appear to be mostly in intra-solum positions. Although still exploratory and at the limits of the tomographic resolution, these observations provide new evidence to reject the formerly proposed synonymy of Triassic genera with Triebelina, which obstructed the establishment of a phylogenetic classification.
Keywords: ostracods, ornate Bairdiidae, morphology, normal pore canals, CT-scan, 3D analysis
Published in DiRROS: 08.03.2024; Views: 133; Downloads: 103
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28. Roles of the reference service life (RSL) of buildings and the RSL of building components in the environmental impacts of buildingsTajda Potrč Obrecht, Roman Kunič, Sabina Jordan, Andraž Legat, 2019, published scientific conference contribution Abstract: The Life Cycle Assessment of a building is a complex analysis that also involves the use of the predicted Reference Service Life (RSL) of the building components and materials, as well as the predicted RSL of the whole building. The RSL values of individual materials and building components can be obtained from different sources and are not exactly comparable. In the present study, the influence of selected RLS values on an LCA assessment was evaluated. Three different RSL databases were used as the sources of the data to estimate the environmental impacts of selected building components (internal wooden door and external finishing coat). Two scenarios were presented. In the first scenario a building component can be reused in another building, while in the second scenario the reuse of the building component is not possible. The study showed that dependent on the selected RSL database, the results can differ by up to a factor of five. Therefore, it is very important to describe clearly the maintenance scenarios for a building in order to have a reliable comparison of the results of LCA assessments.
Keywords: reference service life, life cycle assessment, refurbishment
Published in DiRROS: 08.03.2024; Views: 133; Downloads: 107
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29. Difference between using tabulated and exact values of thermal properties of materials in numerical simulations of heat transfer through a high-performance windowMiha Jukić, Sabina Jordan, 2019, published scientific conference contribution Abstract: The thermal properties of materials, primarily the thermal conductivity, are an essential input for numerical modelling of heat transfer in buildings and building components. When determining them according to relevant European standards, it is not uncommon to encounter materials for which the exact values are not appropriately specified and the tabulated values in standards are overly conservative. In such situations, the thermal conductivity of the material can be determined by measurement. However, this approach may prove inconvenient and too expensive, especially if the material in question turns out to have little influence on the overall thermal performance of the product. It is, therefore, of great interest to know how the thermal performance is affected by choosing either the accurate (measured) or the conservative (tabulated) value of the thermal conductivity. In this work, the two approaches are compared in a practical example – a high-performance window, Jelovica Jelofuture – using numerical simulations. Our study shows that modifying the thermal properties of individual materials generally leaves the thermal transmittances of the frame (Uf) and the window (UW) almost unaffected. If all of the materials considered are modified simultaneously, Uf changes by 1–2% while the change in UW remains below 1%. However, due to their small values, the calculated changes of Uf and UW may be significantly affected (further increased or reduced) by the rounding of the results according to the relevant standards. In contrast, using the tabulated value of linear thermal transmittance (Ψg) of the junction with the glazing leads to an overestimation of UW by up to 15%.
Keywords: thermal transmittance, numerical simulation, conductivity, tabulated and exact values, practical example
Published in DiRROS: 08.03.2024; Views: 93; Downloads: 47
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30. Innovative pre-fabricated components including different waste construction materials reducing building energy and minimising environmental impacts (InnoWEE)Elena Loredana Fodor, Vilma Ducman, Giovanni Ferrarini, Sergio Tamburini, Constantinos Tsoutis, Francesca Becherini, Antonio Garrido-Marijuán,, Giulia Mezzasalma, Leonardo Rossi, Emil Lezak, Adriana Bernardi, 2019, published scientific conference contribution Abstract: InnoWEE is a four-year project (from 2016 to 2020) financed by the European Community that involves ten partners from different European countries, as Greece, Italy, Belgium, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and Poland. The aim is to use the waste materials coming from construction and demolition processes of buildings and include them into a geopolymeric matrix with the purpose of producing prefabricated panels for different applications. Construction and demolition waste (CDW) materials with suitable characteristics have been selected to develop high performance geopolymeric panels for building walls envelopes and radiant panels for indoor walls and ceilings with low environmental impact. Field tests will be carried out in different sites in Europe characterized by different climatic conditions to check the simplicity of the installation procedure and the performance of the panels in terms of energy efficiency and environmental impact.
Keywords: prefabriced elements, geopolymers, CDW
Published in DiRROS: 08.03.2024; Views: 109; Downloads: 56
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