Effect of Temperature and Humidity on the Synthesis of Alkali-Activated Binders Based on Bottom Ash from Municipal Waste Incineration

Pietro C. D. Tortora, Alex Maldonado-Alameda, Jofre Mañosa, Alex C. Quintero-Payan, Cristina Leonelli, Isabella Lancellotti and Josep M. Chimenos
Additional contact information
Pietro C. D. Tortora: Department of Engineering “Enzo Ferrari”, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
Alex Maldonado-Alameda: Departament de Ciència de Materials i Química Física, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Jofre Mañosa: Departament de Ciència de Materials i Química Física, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Alex C. Quintero-Payan: Departament de Ciència de Materials i Química Física, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Cristina Leonelli: Department of Engineering “Enzo Ferrari”, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
Isabella Lancellotti: Department of Engineering “Enzo Ferrari”, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
Josep M. Chimenos: Departament de Ciència de Materials i Química Física, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-18

Abstract: Weathered bottom ash (WBA) from municipal solid waste incineration is a calcium aluminosilicate-rich material mainly used in construction and civil engineering as a secondary aggregate. However, its use is also being considered as a precursor in the manufacture of alkali-activated binders (AA-WBA). This preliminary research aimed to deepen understanding of the potential use of WBA (>8 mm fraction) as the sole precursor of alkali-activated binders. To gain better knowledge of this material, the physicochemical, mechanical, and environmental properties of AA-WBA binders were evaluated. In addition, the effect of curing temperature (25 °C, 45 °C, 65 °C, and 85 °C) and humidity conditions (oven and climate chamber) were assessed. The results of this study revealed that temperature and humidity conditions play a fundamental role during the early formation stages of AA-WBA binders. Maximum compactness and compressive strength (29.8 MPa) were obtained in the sample cured at 65 °C in the oven and room humidity. At higher temperatures (85 °C), a substantial decrease in mechanical strength (21.2 MPa) was observed due to a lower cohesion of the binder phases. Curing in the climate chamber led to an increase in humidity, and therefore a decrease in compressive strength. Finally, lower porosity and longer curing time substantially decreased the heavy metals and metalloid leaching concentration of AA-WBA binders.

Keywords: alkali-activated binders; incineration bottom ash; MSWI; weathered bottom ash; alternative cement; waste valorization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/3/1848/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/3/1848/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:3:p:1848-:d:743013

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().