MOSCOW, September 14. The recipe for fire-resistant concrete based on metallurgical waste was developed by scientists at Samara Polytechnic University. According to experts, such a decision will lead to cheaper production of building materials and improved environmental safety in industrial regions. The results were published in the journal «Building Materials».
Fire-resistant concrete is most often used in the chemical, metallurgical and construction industries to create furnaces and structures that can withstand temperatures up to 1500 degrees, said Samara State Technical University (SamSTU).
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In order for the mixture for making building materials to harden, a hardener must be added to the binder, which gives the solution plasticity. The strength of the final product will depend on its features and properties, the university added.
Specialists from Samara Polytechnic University have found that calcium-alumina sludge, rich in calcium and aluminum oxides, can be used as a hardener. This is one of the wastes of metallurgical plants, so the use of this component will reduce the cost of production of building materials and can lead to an increase in its strength, SamSTU emphasized.
““A study of the chemical composition of sludge from one of the Samara metallurgical plants showed the presence of a high content of calcium oxides (26–28%) and aluminum (14–20%) in the raw materials. It is these indicators that ensure the high efficiency of waste as hardeners,” explained the associate professor Department of Structural Mechanics, Engineering Geology, Foundations and Foundations of SamSTU Margarita Baranova.
According to her, the greatest increase in strength was found in binders based on liquid glass with the addition of finely ground chamotte (burnt calcium-alumina sludge). The results obtained prove the competitiveness of this recipe, and scaling the proposed solution will help maintain environmental safety in cities near industrial zones, the specialist continued.
«For the Samara region, as well as for other industrially developed territories, the problem of recycling waste is very urgent. The building materials we received show that industrial waste should be used effectively and not sent for disposal to landfills, which can pose a danger to the environment if equipment is violated security,» Baranova drew attention.
She added that the researchers analyzed the strength properties of heat-resistant chamotte concrete at different slurry flow rates and different firing temperatures. This made it possible to identify the optimal parameters for the experimental production of building materials using university technology.
And to apply the technology in other regions, it is necessary to analyze the composition of carbonate sludge from large metallurgical plants and develop a recipe taking into account the results of the analysis, Baranova clarified.