Recycling of concrete into high quality products requires the separation of the cement matrix, sand and
aggregate particles. Microwave heating stands as a strong candidate for selective liberation of these
constituents, either directly or as a pre-treatment to a comminution step, as it takes advantage of the many
contrasts in properties of the phases: thermal, mechanical, electrical and dielectric. Rapid microwave
heating generates stresses within the concrete, which may lead to crack formation at phase boundaries,
yielding liberated constituents.
This work is a contribution to demonstrating the potential of microwave treatment for the selective
liberation of concrete components
