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Unfired Brick Using Fly Ash And Red Mud Based On Geopolymer Technology
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ABSTRACT
Red mud is a waste material obtained from the aluminium extraction industry with
the Bayer process and million of tons of red mud are produced annually. Fly ash is the
finely divided residue that results from the combustion of pulverized coal in coal-fired
electric and steam generating plants and a siliceous and aluminous material. The
unfired brick resulting of the chemical reaction between red mud and fly ash is an
amorphous to semi-crystalline polymeric structure and can be hardened in ambient air
temperature. Alkaline activator is also added as a structure-forming element and
increases structural stability of unfired brick. For mix proportion using 50-60% fly ash,
40-50% red mud, 6-8ml alkaline activator for 100gr powder and curing temperature is
70oC, compressive strength in range of 130-150 kgf/cm2, compressive strength of dried
sample to compressive strength of sample saturated by water ratio 0.8-0.9, water
absorption 6.3-9.7% and high resistance to water. This paper reports about the physico-
mechanical properties and manufacruring process of the unfired brick using fly ash and
red mud through geopolymerization process with the aim of finding a new material that
is appropriate to Vietnam situation. This work proved that this unfired brick has
promising properties to be used as unfired materials in the construction.
1. GENERAL
Red mud is a by-product of the Bayer process and disposed as a slurry. The liquid
phase contains about 7g/l of Na2O and pH in the range of 13. This is a big obstacle to
recycle use but great advantage to geopolymer process. Besides, red mud is also a very
fine material in terms of particle size distribution. Typical values would account for 90
volume % below 75µm and the specific surface of red mud is around 10m2/g [1]. A
chemical analysis would reveal that red mud contains silica, aluminum, iron, calcium,
titanium.., etc. The variation in chemical composition between different red muds is
high.
2. EXPERIMENTAL
Samples were prepared using red mud from Tan Binh Chemistry Factory and fly ash
from Nhon Trach Dong Nai Power Station with ratio of red mud:fly ash was 20:80,
30:70, 40:60; 50:50 and 60:40. Fly ash provides initially the geopolymeric system with
soluble Si and Al that are essential for the aluminosilicate oligomers formation and
consequently, for the progress of the whole geopolymerization process [6] [7]. Alkaline
activator comprising soluble silicon and sodium hydroxide was added. Mixing red mud
in liquid form without drying with fly ash and alkaline activator at about 100oC. Mixes
were formed in cubic molds 50x50x50 mm and cured in a oven for 48 hours,
temperature 80- 100oC. After specimens were cured, tests in compressive strength,
water absorption, resistance to water were carried out.
140
130
120
110
100
90
Lin (Counts)
80
70
d=4.26195
60
50
d=3.43584
d=3.40314
d=5.39393
d=2.21060
40
d=2.69550
d=1.82171
d=2.12612
d=1.22551
d=1.52469
d=2.54964
d=2.28569
d=2.46126
30
d=1.54423
d=2.88432
d=1.38295
d=1.37278
20
10
11 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
2-Theta - Scale
29_MAU_QUOC THO_5 - File: 29_MAU_QUOC THO_5.raw - Type: 2Th/Th locked - Start: 10.000 ° - End: 79.990 ° - Step: 0.030 ° - Step time: 1. s - Temp.: 25 °C (Room) - Time Started: 16 s - 2-Theta: 10.000 ° - Theta: 5.000 ° - Chi: 0.00
00-015-0776 (I) - Mullite, syn - Al6Si2O13 - WL: 1.5406 - Orthorhombic - a 7.54560 - b 7.68980 - c 2.88420 - alpha 90.000 - beta 90.000 - gamma 90.000 - Primitive - Pbam (55) - 167.353 - I/Ic PDF 1. - F30= 60(0.0135,37)
00-046-1045 (*) - Quartz, syn - SiO2 - WL: 1.5406 - Hexagonal - a 4.91344 - b 4.91344 - c 5.40524 - alpha 90.000 - beta 90.000 - gamma 120.000 - Primitive - P3221 (154) - 3 - 113.010 - I/Ic PDF 3.4 - F30=539(0.0018,31)
Water absorption
Water absorption of unfired brick decreases respectively as content of fly ash is
increased. Figure 9 shows the relationship between fly ash content and water absorption
with content of alkaline activator is 6 and 8 ml/100g solid mixture.
After 14 days, with fly ash content is 60%, specimens get lowest water absorption
6.3% (Figure 10). However, content of alkaline activator is increased more than 8
ml/100g solid mixture, water absorption increases.
Figure 9. The relationship between fly Figure 10. The relationship between alkaline
ash content and water absorption with activator content and water absorption with
content alkaline activator is 8 ml/100g fly ash content is 60%
solid mixture
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Fly ash Red mud Alkaline activator Water
Mixing
Mixing, 100oC
Molding
Curing, 80-100oC
4. CONCLUSION
Using red mud and fly ash based on geopolymer technology to play an important
role in physico-mechanical properties of unfired brick. With red mud content is from 20
to 60 % and alkaline activator content, compressive strength obtains in range of 100 -
190 KG/cm2, water absorption gets 5.2–12.7% and 0.7– 0.95 is water resistance factor.
These properties indicate this unfired brick is the promising unfired materials in the
construction.
REFERENCES
[1]Y.Pontikes(2005).Redmud characteristics. http://www.redmud.org/Characteristics.html.
[2] American Coal Ash Association. Technical report documentation FHWA-IF-03-091.
[3] P. Duxson A. Ferna´ndez-Jime´nez J. L. ProvisG. C. Lukey A. Palomo J. S. J. van
Deventer (2007). Geopolymer technology: the current state of the art. Advances in
geopolymer science & technology, pp.3,9,12.
[4] Barbosa,V.F.F., Mackenzie,K. J. D. and Thaumaturgo, C. (2000). Synthesis and
characterisation of materials based on inorganic polymers of alumina and silica:sodium
polysialate polymers. International Journal of Inorganic Materials.
[5] Joseph Davidovits(1999). Geopolymers: inorganic polymeric new materials. Journal of
Thermal Analysis, 37, 1633-1656, (1991).
[6 ] Nguyen Van Chanh, Bui Dang Trung, Dang Van Tuan. Recent research geopolymer
concrete. The 3rd ACF International Conference-ACF/VCA 2008.
[7] Nguyen Van Chanh, Tran Quoc Tho. Inorganic composite materials for road surface
utilizing Laterite, fly ash and red mud sluge waste in Vietnam. The 8th International
Conference on Civil and Environmental Engineering. Pukyong National University, Busan,
Korea. October 2009.
[8] Nguyen Van Chanh, Vu Huyen Tran, Nguyen Thi Thanh Thao . Geopolymer
technology from fly ash and red mud for unfired brick making. The 4th Conference on
Science Technology – Vietnam Science and Technology Institute. Lam Dong-Vietnam 20-
21 August 2010.
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