Recycling of steel slag and glass cullet from energy saving lamps by fast firing production of ceramics

The paper reports on some experimental results obtained from the production of ceramics containing steel slag and glass cullet from exhaust energy saving lamps mixed in different proportions. Blending of components was done by attrition milling. Pressed powders were fast fired (50 min, cold to cold) in air up to several temperatures in the range 1000–1140 °C. The sintering behaviour was studied by shrinkage and water absorption measurements. Density, strength and hardness of the fired bodies were determined and XRD were examined. The fired samples were finally tested in acidic environment in order to evaluate their elution behaviour and consequently their possible environmental compatibility. It is observed that the composition containing 60 wt.% of steel slag and 40 wt.% of glass cullet displayed the best overall behaviour.     

Use of municipal incinerator bottom ash as sintering promoter in industrial ceramics

The use of glassy frits obtained from municipal incinerator bottom ash and glass cullet, as sintering promoters in the production process of porcelainized stoneware, was investigated. The emphasis was on studying the similarities and differences with respect to the standard body. The characterization involved the application of several techniques: chemical analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, linear shrinkage during firing, water absorption, bending strength and spot resistance test. The results show that, the addition of these glassy frits in the body improve the characteristics of water absorption and spot resistance which is related to the absence of surface porosity originated by the glassy phase. Moreover, addition of glassy frits to the porcelanized stoneware body does not change significantly its bending strength. In the firing conditions used there is a slight worsening in the tiles planarity, while there is a significant modification of the color, which becomes darker with respect to the base body.     

Management of agricultural biomass wastes: Preliminary study on characterization and valorisation in clay matrix bricks

In this work the feasibility of using woody agricultural biomass wastes as grapes and cherries seeds, sawdust, as pore forming agent, and sugar cane ash, as silica precursor, in bricks, were reported.Sawdust and grapes and cherries seeds, thanks to their organic substances content, during their combustion, bring an energetic support in the bricks firing phase and act as pore forming agent. Usually the addition of this kind of waste is limited to 10 wt.% in order to reach an equilibrium between positive (weight and shrinkage decrease and porosity increase) and negative (increase of water absorption and mechanical resistance decrease) effects. The results show that grapes and cherries seeds, added in a percentage of 5 wt.% to a brick formulation, have better influence with respect to the sawdust, maintaining the mechanical properties of the fired brick (950 °C), showing modulus of rupture around 21–23 MPa with a weight reduction of 3–10% (respect to the standard one). Regarding the sugar cane ash, the addition of 5 wt.% improves the mechanical properties (modulus of rupture around 27 MPa) and no weight decrease is observed. These results confirmed the role played by this kind of agricultural waste, which thanks to its high silica content (61 wt.%) is capable to demonstrate a filler and plasticity reducing effect on the brick bodies. Tests carried out highlighted that the addition of these by-products (5 wt.%) do not change negatively the main technological properties measured (water absorption, linear shrinkage, flexural resistance, etc.) and permit to hypothesize their use to obtain bricks with both insulating and higher mechanical properties using a pore agent forming or silica carrier alternative raw materials, respectively.     

Glass–ceramic from mixtures of bottom ash and fly ash

Along with the gradually increasing yield of the residues, appropriate management and treatment of the residues have become an urgent environmental protection problem. This work investigated the preparation of a glass–ceramic from a mixture of bottom ash and fly ash by petrurgic method. The nucleation and crystallization kinetics of the new glass–ceramic can be obtained by melting the mixture of 80% bottom ash and 20% fly ash at 950 °C, which was then cooled in the furnace for 1 h. Major minerals forming in the glass–ceramics mainly are gehlenite (Ca₂Al₂SiO₇) & akermanite (Ca₂MgSiO₇) and wollastonite (CaSiO₃). In addition, regarding chemical/mechanical properties, the chemical resistance showing durability, and the leaching concentration of heavy metals confirmed the possibility of engineering and construction applications of the most superior glass–ceramic product. Finally, petrurgic method of a mixture of bottom ash and fly ash at 950 °C represents a simple, inexpensive, and energy saving method compared with the conventional heat treatment.     

Use of mix of clay/solid waste from steel works for civil construction materials.

The present study focuses on the use of solid waste generated by the steel works in Brazil for manufacturing clay-based structural products. The waste sample was characterized regarding chemical composition, X-ray diffraction, particle size, morphology, specific surface and plastic properties. The waste was added in gradual proportions to a kaolinitic clay from zero up to 3 wt.%. Ceramic bodies were formed by vacuum extrusion and fired at 950 degrees C. The physical-mechanical properties (linear shrinkage, water absorption, apparent density and flexural strength) of the resulting clay/solid waste mixtures were determined. In addition, leaching tests were performed according Brazilian Standards as well as a preliminary analysis of gases evolved during the thermal process. It was found that the solid waste is formed by irregular particles, ranging in size from 1 to 500 microm. The test results indicate that solid wastes generated by steel works can be used as filler in construction materials, thereby increasing reuse in an environmentally safe manner.     

Recycling of iron foundry sand and glass waste as raw material for production of whiteware.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the production feasibility of triaxial whiteware using sand from cast iron moulds as a raw material instead of silica, and recycled glass in place of feldspar. Formulations were prepared using sand, glass waste, and white-firing clay such that only 50% of the composition was virgin material (clay). The ceramic bodies were formed by pressing and fired at different temperatures (between 1100 and 1300 degrees C). Specimens were characterized in terms of green density prior to firing; and their flexural strength, linear shrinkage, and water absorption were measured after firing. The microstructure was determined by scanning electron microscopy. Possible environmental impacts of this recycling process were also evaluated, through solubility and leaching tests, according to Brazilian standards. Gaseous emissions during the firing process were also analysed. The results showed that it is possible to produce triaxial ceramics by using such alternative raw materials.     

Inertization of hazardous dredging spoils

Vitrification and production of ceramics materials starting from sediment excavated from Venice lagoon is described. This sediment is classified as toxic waste because contains several heavy metal ions and organic pollutants and was successfully vitrified at 1200-1350 degrees C. Twenty weight percentage of glass cullet, coming from a community glass recycling program, was added to the raw materials, previously calcined at 900 degrees C, as a way of adjusting the variations of composition of the individual sediment batches. Chemical durability (leaching) tests showed that the optimized glass compositions are inert, and thus not only volume reduction but also inertization of the waste was obtained by this process. Moreover, the economics of the entire process was analysed. The valorization of the waste was accomplished by the subsequent processing of the glass derived from the inertization. Glass ceramic materials were produced by viscous phase sintering of pressed glass powders which crystallized during the densification process. Sintered glass ceramic products had good mechanical characteristics (HV = 7.5 GPa, bending strength 150 +/- 8 MPa), making them suitable for applications in the building industry.     

Recovery of municipal waste incineration bottom ash and water treatment sludge to water permeable pavement materials

Water treatment plant sludge and municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash are non-hazardous residues, and they can be reprocessed to produce useful materials for city public works. In this study, an effort was endeavored to investigate the properties of water permeable bricks made of water treatment sludge and bottom ash without involving an artificial aggregate step. The water treatment plant sludge was dried and ground, and the bottom ash was subjected to magnetic separation to remove ferrous metals. Both sludge and bottom ash were ground and sieved to a size of <2mm. Different contents of water treatment sludge (70-95% by weight) were mixed with bottom ash and the blocks were molded under a pressure of 110 kg/cm2. Thereafter, the molded blocks were sintered at temperatures of 900-1200 degrees C for 60-360 min. The compressive strength, permeability and water absorption rate of the sintered brick were examined and compared to relevant standards. The amount of bottom ash added in the mixture with water treatment sludge affects both the compressive strength and the permeability of the sintered bricks. The two effects are antonymous as higher bottom ash content will develop a beehive configuration and have more voids in the brick. It is concluded that a 20% weight content of bottom ash under a sintering condition of 1150 degrees C for 360 min can generate a brick with a compressive strength of 256 kg/cm2, a water absorption ratio of 2.78% and a permeability of 0.016 cm/s.     

Effects of recycled glass substitution on the physical and mechanical properties of clay bricks

In this study, wasted glasses from structural glass walls up to 45 wt.% were added into clay mixtures in brick manufacturing process. Physical and mechanical properties of clay bricks were investigated as functions of the wasted glass content and the firing temperature. The results indicated that with proper amount of wasted glasses and firing temperature, clay bricks with suitable physical and mechanical properties could be obtained. The compressive strength as high as 26–41 MPa and water absorption as low as 2–3% were achieved for bricks containing 15–30 wt.% of glass content and fired at 1100 °C. When the glass waste content was 45 wt.%, apparent porosity and water absorption was rapidly increased.     

Electrostatic painting residues as an alternative raw material for red clay industry.

In this study, the viability of using electrostatic painting residues--paint sludge--as a raw material to the red clay industry was investigated. Red clay-based ceramic masses containing electrostatic paint residues were formulated during the study. The clays were obtained from the Rio do Rastro deposit, in Gravataí, and were of the standard formulation used in industry. Different ceramic mass formulations with additions of 0.5, 1.0, 2.5 and 5.0 wt.% electrostatic painting residue in addition to a formulation with no residue addition (standard formulation), were evaluated. The samples were uniaxially pressed in a double-effect press and were fired in an electric oven at 900, 950 and 1000 degrees C. The firing at constant temperature lasted 8 h, and heating rate was 150 K h(-1). After processing the samples were characterized in terms of their physical and mechanical properties. Environmental compatibility was also considered by the evaluation of gaseous emissions and leaching and solubilization tests according to the Brazilian standards NBR 10.005 and NBR 10.006, respectively. The results showed that it was possible to produce ceramic materials containing electrostatic painting residues within their formulations.     

Production and characterization of glazed tiles containing incinerated sewage sludge

In this article, glaze with different colorants was applied to tile specimens manufactured by incinerated sewage sludge ash (ISSA) and clay. Improvements using different amounts of colorants, and glaze components and concentrations on tile bodies were investigated. Four different proportions of clay (by weight ratio) were replaced by ISSA. Tiles of size 12 cm x 6 cm x 1 cm were made and left in an electric furnace to make biscuit tiles at 800 degrees C. Afterwards, four colorants, Fe2O3 (red), V2O5 (yellow), CoCO3 (blue), and MnO2 (purple), and four different glaze concentrations were applied on biscuit tile specimens. These specimens were later sintered into glazed tiles at 1050 degrees C. The study shows that replacement of clay by sludge ash had adverse effects on properties of tiles. Water absorption increased and bending strength reduced with increased amounts of ash. However, both water absorption and bending strength improved for glazed ash tiles. Abrasion of grazed tiles reduced noticeably from 0.001 to 0.002 g. This implies glaze can enhance abrasion resistance of tiles. Effects like lightfastness and acid-alkali resistance improved as different glazes were applied on tiles. In general, red glazed tiles showed the most stable performance, followed by blue, yellow, and purple.     

Fly ash of mineral coal as ceramic tiles raw material

The aim of this work was to evaluate the use of mineral coal fly ash as a raw material in the production of ceramic tiles. The samples of fly ash came from Capivari de Baixo, a city situated in the Brazilian Federal State of Santa Catarina. The fly ash and the raw materials were characterized regarding their physical chemical properties, and, based on these results; batches containing fly ash and typical raw materials for ceramic tiles were prepared. The fly ash content in the batches varied between 20 and 80 wt%. Specimens were molded using a uniaxial hydraulic press and were fired. All batches containing ash up to 60 wt% present adequate properties to be classified as several kinds of products in the ISO 13006 standard () regarding its different absorption groups (pressed). The results obtained indicate that fly ash, when mixed with traditional raw materials, has the necessary requirements to be used as a raw material for production of ceramic tiles.     

Effect of addition of pond ash and fly ash on properties of ash-clay burnt bricks.

Two industrial solid waste products generated by Indian coal-fired power plants, namely pond ash and fly ash, were used in combination with local clay to develop building bricks. The clay were mixed with the two different ashes in the range 10 to 90 wt.%, hydraulically pressed and fired at 1000 degrees C. The fired products were characterized for various quality properties required for building bricks. The properties of the optimal compositions were compared with conventional red clay bricks including the developed microstructures and the comparative study generally showed that te ash-clay bricks were of superior quality to the conventional products.     

Utilization of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash in ceramic brick: product characterization and environmental toxicity

In this study, municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash was used as a blending in making ceramic brick based on its characterization and an orthogonal test was performed to determine the optimal mixture ratio of the materials. Besides, the fired bricks made in accordance with the optimal mixture ratio were characterized for performance, phase transformation, microstructure, leaching toxicity of the heavy metals in accordance with GB/T 2542-92 (Detection methods for bricks analysis, China) and by means of XRD, SEM and leaching toxicity analysis. It was found that the optimal mixture ratio of materials (MSWI fly ash:red ceramic clay:feldspar:gang sand) was 20:60:10:10 by mass, and the optimal sintering temperature was 950 °C. Leaching results of heavy metals from sintered bricks were reduced considerably in comparison with those from green bricks prior to sintering process. The results as a whole suggested that utilization of MSWI fly ash in ceramic brick constituted a potential means of adding value.     

High fire resistance in blocks containing coal combustion fly ashes and bottom ash

Fire resistance recycled blocks, containing fly ash and bottom ash from coal combustion power plants with a high fire resistance, are studied in this paper by testing different compositions using Portland cement type II, sand, coarse aggregate and fly ash (up to 50% of total weight) and bottom ash (up to 30% of total weight). The fire resistance, physical-chemical (density, pH, humidity, and water absorption capacity), mechanical (compressive and flexural strength), and leaching properties are measured on blocks made with different proportions of fly ash and bottom ash. The standard fire resistance test is reproduced on 28 cm-high, 18 cm-wide and 3 cm-thick units, and is measured as the time needed to reach a temperature of 180 °C on the non-exposed surface of the blocks for the different compositions.The results show that the replacement of fine aggregate with fly ash and of coarse aggregate with bottom ash have a remarkable influence on fire resistance and cause no detriment to the mechanical properties of the product. Additionally, according to the leaching tests, no environmental problems have been detected in the product. These results lead to an analysis of the recycling possibilities of these by-products in useful construction applications for the passive protection against fire.     

Utilization of kaolin processing waste for the production of porous ceramic bodies

The kaolin processing industry generates large amounts of waste in producing countries such as Brazil. The aim of this study was to characterize kaolin processing waste and evaluate its suitability as an alternative ceramic raw material for the production of porous technical ceramic bodies. The waste material was physically and chemically characterized and its thermal behaviour is described. Several formulations were prepared and sintered at different temperatures. The sintered samples were characterized to determine their porosity, water absorption, firing shrinkage and mechanical strength. Fired samples were microstructurally analysed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated that the waste consisted of quartz, kaolinite, and mica, and that ceramic formulations containing up to 66% of waste can be used for the production of ceramics with porosities higher than 40% and strength of about 70 MPa.     

Recycling PC and TV waste glass in clay bricks and roof tiles

Disposal of PC monitors and TV sets is a growing problem, with over 40% of the weight of these systems comprised of waste glasses with high Pb (funnel) or Ba–Sr concentrations (panel), making them unsuitable for recycling and manufacturing new glass. A possible way to re-use these glasses is in the manufacturing of clay bricks and roof tiles. This possibility was appraised by laboratory simulation of the brickmaking process and technological characterization of unfired and fired products. The recycling of both funnel and panel glasses into clay bodies is technologically feasible, resulting in a substantially reduced plasticity behaviour during shaping–drying (implying a reduction of mechanical strength), and a promotion of sintering during firing. No significant release of Pb, Ba, and Sr was observed during the firing and leaching test for the carbonate-poor body; in contrast, some Pb volatilization during firing and Sr leaching were observed for the carbonate-rich body. Additions of 2 wt.% appear to be practicable, while 5 wt.% glass induces unacceptable modifications of technological properties. The recommended amount is within 2 and 4 wt.%, depending on the characteristics of the clay bodies. The main constraint is that the glass must have a particle size below the limit of the pan mills used in brickmaking (<1 mm).     

Trace element partitioning in ashes from boilers firing pure wood or mixtures of solid waste with respect to fuel composition,chlorine content and temperature

Trace element partitioning in solid waste (household waste, industrial waste, waste wood chips and waste mixtures) incineration residues was investigated. Samples of fly ash and bottom ash were collected from six incineration facilities across Sweden including two grate fired and four fluidized bed incinerators, to have a variation in the input fuel composition (from pure biofuel to mixture of waste) and different temperature boiler conditions. As trace element concentrations in the input waste at the same facilities have already been analyzed, the present study focuses on the concentration of trace elements in the waste fuel, their distribution in the incineration residues with respect to chlorine content of waste and combustion temperature.Results indicate that Zn, Cu and Pb are dominating trace elements in the waste fuel. Highly volatile elements mercury and cadmium are mainly found in fly ash in all cases; 2/3 of lead also end up in fly ash while Zn, As and Sb show a large variation in distribution with most of them residing in the fly ash. Lithophilic elements such as copper and chromium are mainly found in bottom ash from grate fired facilities while partition mostly into fly ash from fluidized bed incinerators, especially for plants fuelled by waste wood or ordinary wood chips. There is no specific correlation between input concentration of an element in the waste fuel and fraction partitioned to fly ash. Temperature and chlorine content have significant effects on partitioning characteristics by increasing the formation and vaporization of highly volatile metal chlorides. Zinc and cadmium concentrations in fly ash increase with the incineration temperature.     

Matt waste from glass separated collection: an eco-sustainable addition for new building materials

Matt waste (MW), a by-product of purification processes of cullet derived from separated glass waste collection, has been studied as filler for self-compacting concrete and as an addition for newly blended cement. Properties of self-compacting concrete compared to reference samples are reported. They include characteristics at the fresh and hardened states, and the compressive strength and porosity of mortar samples that were formulated with increasing amounts of MW to be used as cement replacement (up to 50wt.%). The effects of matt waste are discussed with respect to the mechanical and microstructural characteristics of the resulting new materials.     

Coal fly ash utilization: low temperature sintering of wall tiles

We present here a study of the sintering of fly ash and its mixture with low alkali pyrophyllite in the presence of sodium hexa meta phosphate (SHMP), a complex activator of sintering, for the purpose of wall tile manufacturing. The sintering of fly ash with SHMP in the temperature range 925-1050 degrees C produces tiles with low impact strength; however, the incremental addition of low alkali pyrophyllite improves impact strength. The impact strength of composites with 40% (w/w) pyrophyllite in the fly ash-pyrophyllite mix satisfies the acceptable limit (19.6J/m) set by the Indian Standards Institute for wall tiles. Increasing the pyrophyllite content results in an increase in the apparent density of tiles, while shrinkage and water absorption decrease. The strength of fly ash tiles is attributed to the formation of a silicophosphate phase; in pyrophyllite rich tiles, it is attributed to the formation of a tridymite-structured T-AlPO(4) phase. Scanning electron micrographs show that the reinforcing rod shaped T-AlPO(4) crystals become more prominent as the pyrophyllite content increases in the sintered tiles.