21. Influence of curing / drying methods including microwave heating on alkali activation of waste casting coresBarbara Horvat, Vilma Ducman, 2021, published scientific conference contribution Abstract: Within previous investigation alkali activation of waste casting cores at room temperature did not give promising results, i.e. when the precursor was gently ground and sieved below 600 %m the alkali activated material fell apart at demolding, and when the precursor was ground below 90 %m, the alkali activated material did not solidify in more than 2 years. , Therefore different drying/curing methods were applied to enhance the reaction. Waste casting cores were prepared in two granulations (sieved below 600 %m and below 90 %m), activated with Na -water glass and 10 M NaOH, cured at different temperatures (70 °C and room temperature), and subsequently cured/dried at three different conditions: room temperature, 110 °C, and irradiated with microwaves. The highest compressive strength, 25 MPa, was gained with subsequent curing/drying at 110 °C. The lowest density, 0.5 kg/l, with compressive strength above 3 MPa, was achieved with subsequent curing/drying with microwaves .
Keywords: waste casting cores, alkali activation, curing, drying, microwaves, mechanical strength
Published in DiRROS: 22.01.2024; Views: 224; Downloads: 117
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22. Fibre reinforced alkali-activated rock woolMajda Pavlin, Barbara Horvat, Vilma Ducman, 2022, published scientific conference contribution Abstract: Mineral wool, i.e. rock and glass wool, represents considerable challenge after its functional-time runs out due to its small density leading to large volume consumption during transport and in landfills where it usually ends. Because rock wool is mineralogically and chemically a promising precursor material for alkali-activation, it was milled from few centimetres-decimeters long fibres to micron-sized fibres. Since fibres in alkali-activated materials generally show an increase in mechanical strength, especially the bending strength, 1 m% of additional fibres (basalt, cellulose (2 types), glass, polypropylene, polyvinyl alcohol and steel fibres) was used in the alkali mixture, that was curred at 40 °C for 3 days. Time dependence of the mechanical strengths of alkali- activated materials with and without additional fibres was followed. Maximal increase of compressive and bending strength after 28 days was reached with polypropylene fibres, i.e. it was 20% and 30% higher than compressive and bending strength of alkali- activated material without additional fibres respectively.
Keywords: secondary raw material, alkali activated material, foaming, homogenization, mechanical strength
Published in DiRROS: 21.12.2023; Views: 241; Downloads: 81
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23. Influence of homogenization of alkali-activated slurry on mechanical strengthBarbara Horvat, Mark Češnovar, Katja Traven, Majda Pavlin, Katja Koenig, Vilma Ducman, 2022, published scientific conference contribution Abstract: Alkali-activated materials are promising materials for the construction industry due to the accessibility of the precursors, which are mainly secondary industrial by-products, and their cost- effective and energy-efficient production. Although these materials are not new, some of the parameters in the technological process are not yet fully understood and tested. Therefore, in this paper in the means of mechanical strength, the preparation of alkali-activated pastes by using a three-roll mill homogenization method is discussed. The influence of homogenization of alkali- activated slurry has been evaluated on different waste materials (fly ash, fly ash with metakaolin, slag mixture (electric arc furnace slag and ladle slag), glass wool, waste green ceramics), which are treated with different alkali activators (NaOH, commercial sodium silicate solution, laboratory-produced alkali activators based on waste cathode- ray tube glass) with different curing regimes (60 °C and 70 °C) and different drying methods (drying at room temperature, drying at 105 °C). The viscosity of the slurry before homogenization was higher than after homogenization, the distribution of elements was more uniform and the compressive strength higher in all homogenized alkali activated materials, regardless of other parameters.
Keywords: secondary raw material, alkali activated material, foaming, homogenization, mechanical strength
Published in DiRROS: 21.12.2023; Views: 266; Downloads: 86
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24. Degradation and Stabilization of Polymer MaterialsBranka Mušič, Andrijana Sever Škapin, 2023, short scientific article Keywords: polymer-based materials, nano, micro, and macro composites, effects on (micro) organisms and toxicity, impact on the ecosystem, mechanisms and products of accelerated aging and degradation, physical, chemical, mechanical, thermal, and morphological, analysis, biodegradability, sustainability, life cycle, renewable and recycled resources and the circular economy
Published in DiRROS: 21.12.2023; Views: 286; Downloads: 99
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25. Polypropylene blends with m-EPR copolymers : mechanical and rheological propertiesIztok Švab, Anđela Pustak, Matjaž Denac, Andrijana Sever Škapin, Mirela Leskovac, Vojko Musil, Ivan Šmit, 2018, original scientific article Abstract: The effects of two metallocene ethylene-propylene-based elastomers (m-EPR1 and m-EPR2) differing in molecular mass and viscosity on mechanical, rheological and interfacial properties were compared. The m-EPR elastomers were added to iPP in 2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 vol.%. Torque values, elongation at break and impact strength measured of the iPP/m-EPR1 blends were higher than the iPP/m-EPR2 blends due to higher molten viscosity of m-EPR1 than m-EPR2 copolymer. Slight differences in Young moduli as well as in tensile strength at yield and at break might indicate that tensile properties of iPP/m-EPR blends were not significantly affected by difference in viscosity or molecular mass, miscibility and spherulite size. Optimization diagrams indicated the metallocene m-EPR copolymers are efficient impact modifiers for polypropylene and showed good balancing of mechanical properties in iPP/m-EPR blends.
Keywords: isotactic polypropylene, metallocene ethylene-propylene-based elastomers, blend, mechanical properties, adhesion parameters
Published in DiRROS: 13.12.2023; Views: 225; Downloads: 108
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26. Particle size manipulation as an influential parameter in the development of mechanical properties in electric arc furnace slag-based AAMKatja Traven, Mark Češnovar, Vilma Ducman, 2019, original scientific article Abstract: Alkali-activated materials (AAM) have gained recognition as a promising alternative to technical ceramic and building materials owing to the lower energy demands for production and the potential to use slag as a precursor. In the present study, five sets of slag-based AAM pastes were prepared with different particle sizes (fractions d < 63, 63 < d < 90, and 90 < d < 125 μm in different mass ratios) under the same curing regime and using a fixed precursor to activator (water) mass ratio. Precursors and the hardened AAM are evaluated using BET, XRD, XRF, SEM, FTIR, reactivity of precursors by leaching, and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). Chemical analysis indicated only marginal differences among the different-sized fractions of input materials, whereas the BET surface area and reactivity among the precursors differed significantly-smaller particles had the largest surface area, and thus, higher reactivity. The mineralogical differences between the precursors and hardened AAM were negligible. The results revealed that compressive strength was significantly influenced by particle size, i.e., a threefold increase in strength when the particle size was halved. Microstructural evaluation using MIP confirmed that the porosity was the lowest in AAM with the smallest particle size. The low porosity and high reactivity of the fine fractions led to the highest compressive strength, confirming that manipulation of particle size can significantly influence the mechanical properties.
Keywords: alkalijsko aktivirani materiali, žlindra iz obločne peči, mehanska aktivacija, mehanske lastnosti, poroznost, alkali-activated materials (AAM), electric arc furnace steel slag, mechanical activation, mechanical properties, porosity
Published in DiRROS: 22.11.2023; Views: 295; Downloads: 145
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27. Potential of green ceramics waste for alkali activated foamsBarbara Horvat, Vilma Ducman, 2019, original scientific article Abstract: The aim of the paper is to research the influence of foaming and stabilization agents in the alkali activation process of waste green ceramics for future low cost up-cycling into lightweight porous thermal insulating material. Green waste ceramics, which is used in the present article, is a green body residue (non-successful intermediate-product) in the synthesis of technical ceramics for fuses. This residue was alkali activated with Na-water glass and NaOH in theoretically determined ratio based on data from X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) that was set to maximise mechanical properties and to avoid efflorescence. Prepared mixtures were compared to alkali activated material prepared in theoretically less favourable ratios, and tested on the strength and density. Selected mixtures were further foamed with different foaming agents, that are Na-perborate (s), H2O2 (l), and Al (s), and supported by a stabilization agent, i.e., Na-dodecyl sulphate. The goal of the presented work was to prepare alkali activated foam based on green ceramics with density below 1 kg/l and compressive strength above 1 MPa.
Keywords: alkali activation, foaming, SEM, XRF, XRD, mechanical strength
Published in DiRROS: 14.09.2023; Views: 287; Downloads: 144
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28. RILEM TC 247-DTA round robin test : mix design and reproducibility of compressive strength of alkaliactivated concretesJohn L. Provis, Kamel Arbi, Susana Bernal, Dali Bondar, Anja Buchwald, Arnaud Castel, Sundararaman Chithiraputhiran, Martin Cyr, Alireza Dehghan, Katja Dombrowski-Daube, Ashish Dubey, Vilma Ducman, Gregor J. G. Gluth, Sreejith Nanukuttan, Karl Peterson, Francisca Puertas, Arie van Riessen, Manuel Torres-Carrasco, Guang Ye, Yibing Zuo, 2019, original scientific article Abstract: The aim of RILEM TC 247-DTA Durability Testing of Alkali-Activated Materials is to identify and validate methodologies for testing the durability of alkali-activated concretes. To underpin the durability testing work of this committee, five alkali-activated concrete mixes were developed based on blast furnace slag, fly ash, and flash-calcined metakaolin. The concretes were designed with different intended performance levels, aiming to assess the capability of test methods to discriminate between concretes on this basis. A total of fifteen laboratories worldwide participated in this round robin test programme, where all concretes were produced with the same mix designs, from single-source aluminosilicate precursors and locally available aggregates. This paper reports the mix designs tested, and the compressive strength results obtained, including critical insight into reasons for the observed variability in strength within and between laboratories.
Keywords: alkali-activated materials (AAM), mechanical properties, test method, Rilem TC, durability
Published in DiRROS: 14.09.2023; Views: 245; Downloads: 144
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29. Mechanical, microstructural and mineralogical evaluation of alkali-activated waste glass and stone woolMajda Pavlin, Barbara Horvat, Ana Frankovič, Vilma Ducman, 2021, original scientific article Abstract: Mineral waste wool represents a significant part of construction and demolition waste (CDW) not yet being successfully re-utilized. In the present study, waste stone wool (SW) and glass wool (GW) in the form received, without removing the binder, were evaluated for their potential use in alkali activation technology. It was confirmed that both can be used in the preparation of alkali-activated materials (AAMs), whether cured at room temperature or at an elevated temperature in order to speed up the reaction. The results show that it is possible to obtain a compressive strength of over 50 MPa using SW or GW as a precursor. A strength of 53 MPa was obtained in AAM based on GW after curing for 3 days at 40 °C, while a similar compressive strength (58 MPa) was achieved after curing the GW mixture for 56 days at room temperature. In general, the mechanical properties of samples based on GW are better than those based on SW. The evolution of mechanical properties and recognition of influential parameters were determined by various microstructural analyses, including XRD, SEM, MIP, and FTIR. The type of activator (solely NaOH or a combination of NaOH and sodium silicate), and the SiO2/Na2O and liquid to solid (L/S) ratios were found to be the significant parameters. A lower SiO2/Na2O ratio and low L/S ratio significantly improve the mechanical strength of AAMs made from both types of mineral wool.
Keywords: alkali activation, waste mineral wool, mechanical strength
Published in DiRROS: 31.07.2023; Views: 269; Downloads: 249
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30. Influence of microwaves in the early stage of alkali activation on the mechanical strength of alkali-activated materialsBarbara Horvat, Majda Pavlin, Vilma Ducman, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: This study focuses on the influence of microwave irradiation dosimetry on alkali-activated slurry in its early stages. The impact on the chemistry and mineralogy along with the mechanical properties were evaluated by changing the power of microwaves and their duration of exposure. This influenced the dissolution of amorphous content, diffusion, and self-assembly into an aluminosilicate network. The precursors used in this study were metakaolin, a non-waste material commonly used in geopolymerisation technology, and local fly ash and ladle furnace slag as secondary materials. Furthermore, they were chemically and mineralogically analysed, and their mixtures with NaOH and Na-water glass provided the optimal ratio of the amount of elements obtained using the pre-calculation approach. However, the potential extra addition of water was experimentally determined to allow complete wetting of the material and solid workability during moulding. Using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, the influence of water was further investigated in alkali-activated slag and fly ash irradiated with microwaves, which resulted in the highest values of mechanical strength in the dosimetry-mapping part of the analysis. In addition to the time dependence of the expected mechanical strength on the ageing of the alkali- activated material, the synthesised material exhibited a significant dependence on the dose of microwave irra- diation, which was different for every precursor as well as every mixture with different chemistries.
Keywords: odpadni material, alkalijska aktivacija, obsevanje z mikrovalovi, mehanska trdnost, waste material, alkali activation, microwave irradiation, mechanical strength
Published in DiRROS: 12.07.2023; Views: 391; Downloads: 287
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