Design of alkali activated foamy binders from Sicilian volcanic precursors

Occhipinti, Roberta; Lanzafame, Gabriele; Lluveras Tenorio, Anna; Finocchiaro, Claudio; Gigli, Lara; Tinè, Maria Rosaria; Mazzoleni, Paolo; Barone, Germana

doi:10.1016/j.ceramint.2023.09.220

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…Moreover, this material has proven effective in real-world restoration efforts, as exemplified by its successful application in the replication of AA-mortar for the restoration of a mosaic section within the Monreale Cathedral, a UNESCO Heritage site situated in Sicily, Italy [77]. Finally, these binders evidenced a wide versatility, considering the tests with foaming agents for the production of foamy paste [78] or the high fire resistance observed up to 1000 • C [79].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Economic Analysis of the Use of Local Natural Waste: Volcanic Ash of Mt. Etna Volcano (Italy) for Geopolymer Production

Cavalieri,

Ferrara,

Finocchiaro

et al. 2024

Sustainability

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This paper analyses the net social benefits deriving from the medium-scale production of geopolymers based on volcanic ash compared to traditional cementitious materials used in construction and restoration sectors. In contrast to the existing literature grounded on the physical and mechanical characterization of geopolymers, our analysis considers two aspects: public finance savings from avoiding the disposal of volcanic ash in landfills and environmental benefits deriving from reduction in CO2 releases due to the production process at room temperature. Our case study focuses on the reuse of natural waste, namely the volcanic ash of the Mt. Etna volcano (Italy), whose disposal involves significant costs for society. Its use in the alkaline activation process avoids the exploitation of natural resources. Considering the huge amount of volcanic ash from Mt. Etna that falls on the urban areas of Eastern Sicily, the results show relevant economic benefits, in terms of both avoided costs and tax reductions for the citizens. Alongside these, significant environmental benefits are evidenced thanks to the release of up to 78% lower CO2 emissions by synthesised materials with volcanic ash than by traditional cementitious ones. Overall, the social cost savings compared to traditional materials is 0.339 EUR/kg for geopolymer.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Economic Analysis of the Use of Local Natural Waste: Volcanic Ash of Mt. Etna Volcano (Italy) for Geopolymer Production

Cavalieri,

Ferrara,

Finocchiaro

et al. 2024

Sustainability

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“…The reuse of waste and industrial byproducts in the substitution of natural precursors in AAM production is nowadays becoming a widely explored research field [23][24][25], since any natural or man-made material which contains sufficient reactive silica and alumina could be a suitable precursor in the alkali activation process. This makes this technology of great ecological relevance, according to EU recommendations on sustainability and circular economy (https://environment.ec.europa.eu, accessed on 26 October 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alkali Activation of Clay and Water Potabilization Sludge Binary Blends: Influence of Composition and Curing Conditions

Clausi,

Girardi,

Pinto

2023

Sustainability

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This work aims to evaluate the compatibility and features of alkali-activated blends obtained by replacing carbonate-rich illitic clay with either untreated or heat-treated water potabilization sludge (WPS). The experimental setting was created looking towards producing environmentally friendly solutions such as precursors that are sourced from the same territory, room-temperature curing in realistic environmental conditions, and activation exclusively with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solutions. A multi-analytical characterization of the blends using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), an optical microscope (OM), a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDX), and a mechanical test demonstrated that up 75% of calcinated sludge and 25% of uncalcinated sludge could be successfully incorporated into the clay-based blends, offering a valuable alternative to landfill disposal of WPS. The matrices’ features were affected both by the amount of sludge in the blends and by the environmental conditions curing. since mineralogical investigations, OM and SEM observations showed the formation of secondary crystalline phases, mainly zeolitesin addition to amorphous gel. The mechanical strength results reached values between ~3 and 9 MPa, suggesting the possible use of the investigated alkali-activated blends for the formulation of precast building materials. Furthermore, to assure the replication of these alkali-activated blends, uncontrolled (T °C and RH%) curing does not appear to be the most appropriate solution. The study demonstrated that WPS, traditionally destined for landfill, could be a resource for the production of alkaline-activated materials by partially replacing unrenewable raw materials. thus resulting in the creation of eco-sustainable and economic processes as WPSare a widely and locally available industrial byproduct. However, a better control of mix designs and curing conditions is necessary for the upscaling of the here investigated blends.

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Effects of the addition of slaked lime to alkali-activated pastes based on volcanic ashes from Mt. Etna volcano (Italy)

Finocchiaro,

Occhipinti,

Barone

et al. 2024

Ceramics International

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Design of alkali activated foamy binders from Sicilian volcanic precursors

Cited by 5 publications

References 61 publications

An Economic Analysis of the Use of Local Natural Waste: Volcanic Ash of Mt. Etna Volcano (Italy) for Geopolymer Production

An Economic Analysis of the Use of Local Natural Waste: Volcanic Ash of Mt. Etna Volcano (Italy) for Geopolymer Production

Alkali Activation of Clay and Water Potabilization Sludge Binary Blends: Influence of Composition and Curing Conditions

Effects of the addition of slaked lime to alkali-activated pastes based on volcanic ashes from Mt. Etna volcano (Italy)

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