Olive Stone Ash as Secondary Raw Material for Fired Clay Bricks

This work evaluates the effect of incorporation of olive stone ash, as secondary raw material, on the properties of fired clay bricks. To this end, three compositions containing 10, 20, and 30 wt% olive stone ash in a mixture of clays (30 wt% red, 30 wt% yellow, and 40 wt% black clay) from Spain were prepared. The raw materials, clay and olive stone ash, were characterized by means of XRD, XRF, SEM-EDS, and TG-TDA analysis. The engineering properties of the press molded specimens fired at 900°C (4 h) such as linear shrinkage, bulk density, apparent porosity, water absorption, and compressive strength were evaluated. The results indicated that the incorporation of 10 wt% of olive stone ash produced bricks with suitable technological properties, with values of compressive strength of 41.9 MPa but with a reduced bulk density, by almost 4%. By contrast, the incorporation of 20 wt% and 30 wt% sharply increased the water absorption as a consequence of the large amount of open porosity and low mechanical strength presented by these formulations, which do not meet the standards for their use as face bricks. The bricks do not present environmental problems according to the leaching test

Olive Stone Ash as Secondary Raw Material for Fired Clay Bricks

This work evaluates the effect of incorporation of olive stone ash, as secondary raw material, on the properties of fired clay bricks. To this end, three compositions containing 10, 20, and 30 wt% olive stone ash in a mixture of clays (30 wt% red, 30wt% yellow, and 40wt% black clay) from Spain were prepared. The raw materials, clay and olive stone ash, were characterized by means of XRD, XRF, SEM-EDS, and TG-TDA analysis. The engineering properties of the press molded specimens fired at 900 degrees C (4 h) such as linear shrinkage, bulk density, apparent porosity, water absorption, and compressive strength were evaluated. The results indicated that the incorporation of 10wt% of olive stone ash produced bricks with suitable technological properties, with values of compressive strength of 41.9MPa but with a reduced bulk density, by almost 4%. By contrast, the incorporation of 20 wt% and 30 wt% sharply increased the water absorption as a consequence of the large amount of open porosity and low mechanical strength presented by these formulations, which do not meet the standards for their use as face bricks. The bricks do not present environmental problems according to the leaching test

Biomass bottom ash waste and by-products of the acetylene industry as raw materials for unfired bricks

This research aims to study the feasibility of using wastes: biomass bottom ash resulting from the combustion process of a mix of pine-olive pruning in power generation plants, and Geosilex, a by-product obtained in the acetylene industry, as raw materials in the manufacture of unfired bricks. These materials were characterized physically, chemically and mineralogically. Different proportions of raw materials have been investigated; biomass bottom ash (100-20 wt %) and Geosilex (0–80 wt %). The specimens were obtained by compression at 10 MPa and cured for 28 days in water. The physical, mechanical and thermal properties of the unfired bricks have been evaluated. Optimum results have been obtained for specimens with 70–60 wt % of biomass bottom ash and 30–40 wt % of Geosilex, presenting the best mechanical properties, with compressive strength values of 52 MPa and thermal conductivity of 0.52–0.57 W/mK, respectively. These unfired bricks presented a greater quantity of hydrated calcium silicates and hydrated calcium aluminates that provide mechanical properties. This fact is due to that these specimens had the optimal amount of pozzolanic materials, Ca(OH)2 present in the cementing agent Geosilex and SiO2 and Al2O3, present in the ash. Recycling these raw materials in unfired bricks implies significant economic and environmental benefits owing to wastes are used as substitutes for natural raw materials

Sinterización de una arcilla que contiene pirofilita, sericita y caolinita como materia prima cerámica: buscando las condiciones óptimas de cocción

The sintering behaviour of a pyrophyllite clay has been investigated. The mineralogical composition by X-ray diffraction (XRD) of this sample was ∼35 wt.% pyrophyllite, ∼25 wt.% sericite/illite, ∼15 wt.% kaolinite and ∼20 wt.% quartz. The chemical composition was consistent with these results, with a total flux content of 4.18 wt.%. Prismatic bars were prepared by dry pressing using this sample and fired in the range 800–1500 °C with 0.5–5 h of soaking times. Sintering diagrams were obtained using the results of linear firing shrinkage, water absorption capacity, bulk density and apparent porosity determined in the ceramic bodies as a function of firing temperatures. It was found a trend of slight variations of bulk density values firing in the range 1000–1150 °C, with marked decreases of these values for these bodies fired at 1200 °C and 1300 °C. The temperature of maximum bulk density was determined as ∼1200 °C and the vitrification temperature was ∼1300 °C where the apparent porosity becomes almost zero. The vitrification process of the pyrophyllite clay sample was investigated using a method previously described in the literature, which considered an Arrhenius approach under isothermal conditions and a first order kinetic. It was determined an activation energy (Ea) of ∼45 kJ/mol with a linear correlation coefficient of 0.998. The relative rates of vitrification were calculated. It was found that the contribution of vitrification due to the heating was relatively small compared to the vitrification during soaking. Mullite and quartz are forming the ceramic bodies besides a vitreous or glassy phase. The thermally treated pyrophyllite clay showed a dense network of rod-shaped and elongated needle-like crystals, being characteristic features of mullite as a dense felt. The vitrification rate equation, as deduced in this study by first time, can be a useful tool to estimate the optimum firing conditions of the pyrophyllite clays applied as ceramic raw materials.En el presente trabajo se ha estudiado el comportamiento de sinterización de una arcilla con pirofilita que posee una composición mineralógica (% en peso), deducida por difracción de rayos X, de ∼35% de pirofilita, ∼25% de sericita/illita, ∼15% de caolinita y ∼20% de cuarzo. La composición química fue consistente con estos resultados y mostró un contenido total de fundentes de 4,18% en peso. Se prepararon probetas conformadas como barras prismáticas mediante prensado uniaxial, en seco, de la muestra original para estudiar su comportamiento en cuanto a sinterización en el intervalo de temperaturas 800-1.500 °C, con tiempos de permanencia desde 0,5 a 5 h. Se obtuvieron los diagramas de sinterización utilizando los resultados de contracción lineal por cocción, capacidad de absorción de agua, densidad y porosidad aparente determinadas en las probetas tratadas térmicamente en función de la temperatura. Se ha encontrado una tendencia a presentar variaciones no muy importantes de los valores de densidad de las probetas cerámicas en el intervalo 1.000-1.150 °C, con un marcado descenso de estos valores cuando se trataron térmicamente a 1.200 °C y 1.300 °C. La temperatura del máximo de densidad se produce a ∼1.200 °C y la temperatura de vitrificación ∼1.300 °C, a la cual la porosidad aparente llega a alcanzar valores casi nulos. El proceso de vitrificación de esta arcilla con pirofilita se ha investigado utilizando una metodología descrita en la bibliografía que considera una aproximación de tipo Arrhenius, bajo condiciones isotérmicas, y una cinética de primer orden. Con la aplicación de dicha metodología se determinó una energía de activación Ea ∼ 45 kJ/mol y un coeficiente de correlación lineal de 0,998. Se calcularon las velocidades relativas de vitrificación durante el tiempo de permanencia a varias temperaturas. Con la realización de este análisis se encontró que la contribución de la vitrificación debida al tratamiento térmico es relativamente pequeña comparada con la vitrificación originada por el tiempo de permanencia a cada temperatura. En las fases cristalinas, la mullita y el cuarzo constituyen los cuerpos cerámicos obtenidos, además de la fase vítrea. Esta materia prima sometida a tratamiento térmico dio lugar a un denso entramado reticular de cristales alargados, formando agujas características, de mullita como denso fieltro. La ecuación de velocidad de vitrificación que se ha deducido en este estudio, por primera vez, puede ser una herramienta de cierta utilidad para estimar las condiciones óptimas de cocción al emplear este tipo de arcillas con pirofilita y sericita como materias primas cerámicas.Peer reviewe

Valorization and inertization of galvanic sludge waste in clay bricks

Galvanic sludge wastes (GSW) are produced by the physico-chemical treatments of wastewater generated by electroplating plants. These materials have a significant potential for the production of clay ceramic bricks. This paper focuses on the viability of the inertization of heavy metals from GSW mixed with clays. The original materials were obtained by mixing three types of raw clay (red, yellow and black) in equal parts with GSW. These mixtures were characterized by XRD, XRF, and chemical elemental analysis CHNS. The dosage of GSW in the clay–GSW bricks was up to 5 wt.%. The bricks were then manufactured using conventional processes. The influence of the amount of GSW was evaluated after firing the clay–GSW composites at 950 °C for 1 h. The engineering properties of the fired samples, such as density, water absorption, open porosity, water suction and compressive strength, with and without the GSW, were determined. The incorporation of GSW into the clay mix clearly decreased the linear shrinkage and bulk density of the bricks in comparison with the fired clay used as a control. These GSW–clay composites also showed lower open porosity. According to the results obtained for the bulk density of the bricks, samples with GSW addition showed slightly lower values of open porosity than clay bodies, indicating that the GSW–clay samples had slightly higher closed porosity values. This was also shown by SEM. The open porosity, SEM and pore size distribution tests indicated that the porosity generated by the addition of GSW was mainly closed and, therefore, GSW bricks had excellent mechanical properties. The environmental risks of the incorporation of GSW, rich in heavy metals (Cr, Zn, Ni and others), to a clay matrix were evaluated by leaching tests of the fired products. The results indicated a successful inertization of the pollutants.Peer reviewe

New waste-based clinkers for the preparation of low-energy cements. A step forward toward circular economy

This paper describes the use of industrial wastes arising from different production processes of the ceramic and marble industries as raw materials for the design and formulation of new cement clinkers with a high content of dicalcium silicate (Belite). The aim was to reintroduce these wastes in the industrial sector and take advantage of them for a greater environmental benefit, as indicated by the principles of the circular economy. Formulations containing 2.5, 5 and 10 wt% of chamotte and marble sludge, respectively, and a waste-free formulation have been designed to obtain clinkers with a content of dicalcium silicate higher than 60 wt%. The different blends have been studied up to a maximum temperature of 1390°C by Thermal Analysis. Other techniques such as XRD, XRF, Modified Bogue Equation, Quality Indexes (LSF, AM, SM) and Optical Microscopy have been used for the study and characterization of industrial wastes, the raw materials and the high belite-type cement dosages. The results indicate that this type of cements can be designed using different types of wastes and in this way reduce the environmental impacts caused by the extraction of raw materials and the deposition of the wastes in landfills, improving the circular economy of the construction industry

Wood bottom ash and Geosilex: A by-product of the acetylene industry as alternative raw materials in calcium silicate units

The main objective of this research was to obtain calcium silicate units from alternative raw materials, such as the bottom ashes from the combustion of wooden boards (WBA), as a source of silica, and GeoSilex (G), a by-product with low energy and environmental costs generated in the manufacture of acetylene, as a source of lime. Once the raw materials were physically, mineralogically and chemically characterized, calcium silicate units were obtained by mixing different amounts of WBA residue (90-20 wt%) and G by-product (10-80 wt%). The mixtures were compressed at 10 MPa and cured in water for 28 days. The calcium silicate units were subjected to a wide experimental program that included the determination of physical properties (bulk density, apparent porosity and water absorption), mechanical properties (compressive strength), and thermal properties (thermal conductivity). Optimum values are obtained for calcium silicate units that contain a 1/1 WBA/G weight ratio, which have an optimal amount of SiO2 and CaO for the cementation reaction. The 50WBA-50g units have compressive strength values of 46.9 MPa and a thermal conductivity value of 0.40 W/mK. However, all calcium silicate units obtained comply with the European Standard EN 771-2: 2011 to be used as structural building materials