Production of geopolymers using glass produced from DC plasma treatment of air pollution control (APC) residues.

Air pollution control (APC) residues are the hazardous waste produced from cleaning gaseous emissions at energy-from-waste (EfW) facilities processing municipal solid waste (MSW). APC residues have been blended with glass-forming additives and treated using DC plasma technology to produce a high calcium alumino-silicate glass. This research has investigated the optimisation and properties of geopolymers prepared from this glass. Work has shown that high strength geopolymers can be formed and that the NaOH concentration of the activating solution significantly affects the properties. The broad particle size distribution of the APC residue glass used in these experiments results in a microstructure that contains unreacted glass particles included within a geopolymer binder phase. The high calcium content of APC residues may cause the formation of some amorphous calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gel. A mix prepared with S/L=3.4, Si/Al=2.6 and [NaOH]=6M in the activating solution, produced high strength geopolymers with compressive strengths of approximately 130 MPa. This material had high density (2070 kg/m(3)) and low porosity. The research demonstrates for the first time that glass derived from DC plasma treatment of APC residues can be used to form high strength geopolymer-glass composites that have potential for use in a range of applications.

[1]  R. Cioffi,et al.  Coal fly ash as raw material for the manufacture of geopolymer-based products. , 2008, Waste management.

[2]  J. Temuujin,et al.  Influence of calcium compounds on the mechanical properties of fly ash geopolymer pastes. , 2009, Journal of hazardous materials.

[3]  C. Yip,et al.  Microanalysis of calcium silicate hydrate gel formed within a geopolymeric binder , 2003 .

[4]  John L. Provis,et al.  Effect of Calcium Silicate Sources on Geopolymerisation , 2008 .

[5]  S. Alonso,et al.  Calorimetric study of alkaline activation of calcium hydroxide–metakaolin solid mixtures , 2001 .

[6]  C R Cheeseman,et al.  Air pollution control residues from waste incineration: current UK situation and assessment of alternative technologies. , 2008, Waste management.

[7]  Hua Xu,et al.  Geopolymerisation of multiple minerals , 2002 .

[8]  L. Monette,et al.  Effect of particle modulus and toughness on strength and toughness in brittle particulate composites , 1993 .

[9]  J. Davidovits.  Geopolymer chemistry and applications , 2008 .

[10]  G. Allen.  IUPAC international symposium on macromolecules: Edited by M. J. Voorn Butterworths, London, 1971, 282 pp. £7.75 , 1972 .

[11]  R. Cloots,et al.  (Micro)-structural comparison between geopolymers, alkali-activated slag cement and Portland cement , 2006 .

[12]  A R Boccaccini,et al.  Plasma treatment of air pollution control residues. , 2008, Waste management.

[13]  K. MacKenzie,et al.  Geopolymer synthesis using silica fume and sodium aluminate , 2007 .

[14]  J. Davidovits.  Geopolymers : inorganic polymeric new materials , 1991 .

[15]  J.S.J. van Deventer,et al.  The Role of Mathematical Modelling and Gel Chemistry in Advancing Geopolymer Technology , 2005 .

[16]  C. Cheeseman,et al.  Geopolymerisation of silt generated from construction and demolition waste washing plants. , 2009, Waste management.

[17]  Rubina Chaudhary,et al.  Mechanism of geopolymerization and factors influencing its development: a review , 2007 .

[18]  J.S.J. van Deventer,et al.  Factors affecting the immobilization of metals in geopolymerized flyash , 1998 .

[19]  J. Deventer,et al.  The coexistence of geopolymeric gel and calcium silicate hydrate at the early stage of alkaline activation , 2005 .

[20]  J.S.J. van Deventer,et al.  THE EFFECT OF COMPOSITION AND TEMPERATURE ON THE PROPERTIES OF FLY ASH- AND KAOLINITE -BASED GEOPOLYMERS , 2002 .

[21]  R. Cloots,et al.  Synthesis and characterization of new inorganic polymeric composites based on kaolin or white clay and on ground-granulated blast furnace slag , 2003 .

[22]  J. Deventer,et al.  Reaction mechanisms in the geopolymeric conversion of inorganic waste to useful products. , 2007, Journal of hazardous materials.

[23]  Kostas Komnitsas,et al.  Geopolymerisation: A review and prospects for the minerals industry , 2007 .

[24]  A. Boccaccini,et al.  Glass matrix composites from coal flyash and waste glass , 1997 .

[25]  John L. Provis,et al.  Carbonate mineral addition to metakaolin-based geopolymers , 2008 .

[26]  F. Pacheco-Torgal,et al.  Tungsten mine waste geopolymeric binder: Preliminary hydration products investigations , 2009 .

[27]  J. W. P. and,et al.  Characterization of Fly-Ash-Based Geopolymeric Binders Activated with Sodium Aluminate , 2002 .

[28]  Hwai Chung Wu,et al.  New building materials from fly ash-based lightweight inorganic polymer , 2007 .

[29]  J.S.J. van Deventer,et al.  The characterisation of source materials in fly ash-based geopolymers , 2003 .

[30]  J. Deventer,et al.  Microstructural characterisation of geopolymers synthesised from kaolinite/stilbite mixtures using XRD, MAS-NMR, SEM/EDX, TEM/EDX, and HREM , 2002 .

[31]  S. Alonso,et al.  Alkaline activation of metakaolin and calcium hydroxide mixtures: influence of temperature, activator concentration and solids ratio , 2001 .

[32]  Hua Xu,et al.  Effect of Source Materials on Geopolymerization , 2003 .

[33]  R. Quinta-Ferreira,et al.  Treatment and use of air pollution control residues from MSW incineration: an overview. , 2008, Waste management.