Studio, progettazione, caratterizzazione di materiali innovativi a base cementizia ecocompatibili

Dottorato di Ricerca in Ambiente Salute e processi Ecosostenibili,Ciclo XXI, a.a. 2009-2010Università della Calabri

Conglomerati cementizi a basso impatto ambientale confezionati con materiale P.F.U.

Dottorato di Ricerca in Ambiente, Salute e Processi Ecosostenibili, XXIII Ciclo,a.a. 2007-2010Università della Calabri

Production of Geopolymeric Mortars Containing Forest Biomass Ash as Partial Replacement of Metakaolin

Geopolymers are a new class of binders based on alkali activation of natural and by-products raw materials. Their properties and eco-compatibility highly depends on the reaction system. The (Na,K)2O-Al2O3-SiO2-H2O system shows a distinguishing pseudo-zeolitic network structure, but reaction requires a high amount of activators. The aim of this work is to investigate how the use of forest biomass ash (FBA), as partial replacement material in the production of metakaolin (MK) based geopolymeric mortar, and affect its properties. FBA is a by-product of the combustion process of forest biomass in thermal power plants. Mortars with a FBA content of 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% wt have been tested for workability, flexural, and compressive strength. Capillary absorption, micro-morphological features, thermal, and shrinkage behavior have been investigated. The addition of FBA allowed for a decrease in the use of alkaline activator up to 20%, while preserving the characteristic broad hump centered at approximately 28° 2θ Mechanical properties of the geopolymeric mortars decrease proportionally with metakaolin replacement, even if a compression strength of more than 35 MPa is still obtained with a FBA content of 30% wt. After thermal cycles of up to 700 °C, all of the mortars still retain their cohesiveness, with an overall loss of mechanical strength of about 80% of the initial value that can be attributed to the formation of microcracks as a consequence of the network strain and distortion due to dehydration and shrinkage

[Finishing and polishing of an anterior hybrid composite--Herculite XR. SEM evaluation].

A study was a conducted in order to discover finishing and polishing effectiveness, by particular operative method, on HERCULITE XR, sub-micron hybrid composite. The study was realized on 35 incisors extracted for periodontal reasons, treated with "labial veneers" according to Jordan (1987), divided into 7 groups each containing 5, and finished with different technique. After treatment, the teeth were subjected to SEM examination. The results showed that the high speed finishing technique by twelve and thirty fluted carbide burs and final polishing with Command Ultrafine Luster Paste produces the smoothest and flatest surface of HERCULITE XR. Furthermore the HERCULITE XR/enamel margin doesn't appear fractured or disrupted. Since finishing and polishing rotary techniques in accordance with the characteristic of each type of composite resins

The Properties and Durability of Self-Leveling and Thixotropic Mortars with Recycled Sand

In recent decades, relevant environmental and economic reasons have driven an increasing interest in using a large amount of recycled aggregate in replacement of natural ones to produce mortar and concrete. The present study aims to investigate the effect of substituting 100% of natural sand with recycled aggregate on fresh properties, mechanical properties, and the durability of a thixotropic and a self-leveling mortar. Recycled aggregate was characterized using X-ray diffractometry and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Its morphology was investigated using scanning electron microscopy and automated morphological imaging. Recycled aggregate mortars showed a moderate decline in initial workability, as well as higher shrinkage and porosity than the control ones. The compressive strength of self-leveling mortars produced with recycled aggregate was only 6% lower than mortars produced with natural sand. The gap increased to 40% in the case of thixotropic mortars. The self-leveling recycled aggregate mortar showed equivalent resistance to freeze–thaw cycles and better sulfate resistance than the control one. The thixotropic recycled aggregate mortar showed comparable sulphate resistance and only slightly lower resistance to freeze–thaw cycles than the control one. Their capacity to relief stresses, due to hydraulic pressures and the formation of expansive products, arises from their higher porosity. Thermal stability of the prepared mortars, after a curing period of 90 days, up to 700 °C, was also investigated. A significant decrease in ultrasonic pulse velocity is observed in the 200–400 °C interval for all the mortars, due to the dehydration–dehydroxylation of calcium silicate hydrate. The overall decline in the strength of both the recycled aggregate mortars was comparable to the control ones. The results reported in the present investigation suggest that the selection of high-quality recycled aggregate helps to obtain good-quality mortars when a large amount of natural sand is replaced

Trimetallic Ni-Based Catalysts over Gadolinia-Doped Ceria for Green Fuel Production

The present work concerns the characterization of trimetallic nickel catalysts, NiMoRe (Nickel/Molybdenum/Rhenium), NiMoCu (Nickel/Molybdenum/Copper) and NiMoCo (Nickel/Molybdenum/Cobalt), supported on gadolinia-doped ceria and the evaluation of their catalytic performance in the auto-thermal reforming of ethanol to hydrogen. Catalysts have been prepared by wet impregnation and characterized by XRD, SEM-EDX, TG-DSC, TEM, CHNS, H2-TPR and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The resistance of Ni-alloy catalysts to the carbon deposition and sulfur poisoning has been studied. All catalysts show a similar behavior in the auto-thermal reforming reaction: 100% of ethanol conversion and high selectivity to syngas products, up to 77 vol.%. At 800 °C the coke deposition is very low (less than 0.34 wt%). Sulfur content affects the selectivity and the activity of the catalysts, especially towards the coke formation: high sulfur content promotes the ethylene formation, therefore the amount of coke deposited on spent catalyst increases. NiMoCu seems to be the trimetallic catalyst less sensitive to this aspect