Ceramics@PoliTO

  • SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MATERIALS

Geopolymers & alkali-activated materials

New, sustainable binders materials, obtained by the reaction of alumina-silicate and carbonate raw powders with sodium silicate-based solutions.

OUR INNOVATION:

Development of geopolymers by using different types of alumina-silicate INDUSTRIAL WASTE, such as:

  • Fines from ornamental stone processing
  • Fines from Construction and Demolition waste
  • Fly ash
  • Ground granulated blast furnace slag

MAIN APPLICATION FIELDS:

New waste-based geopolymers can find application in the following fields:

  • Sustainable binders, as alternative to Portland cement
  • Fire resistant materials
  • Automotive
  • Space industry
  • Art, decoration and restoration

Patented technology

- Italian Patent “Materiale edilizio ottenuto da attivazione alcalina di minerali contenuti in prodotti e residui da attività estrattiva e lavorativa e processo di produzione di un tale materiale edilizio”. Patent granted on 28/02/2018 with number 102015000056183

- European Patent Application “Building material obtained from an alkaline activation of sawing sludge of stone material and process for producing such building material”, International application number PCT/IT 2016/000223

The INNOVATION at the MILANO DESIGN WEEK 2021

In collaboration with the GRUPPO MARAZZATO, innovative and eco-sustainable tiles fabricated by the patented technology were presented at MILANO DESIGN WEEK

  • Information on the patent at this link
  • PoliFlash - Milano Design week at this link
  • Press release at this link

Take a look to the patent within this video

The INNOVATION at the MILANO DESIGN WEEK 2021

In collaboration with the GRUPPO MARAZZATO, innovative and eco-sustainable tiles fabricated by the patented technology were presented at MILANO DESIGN WEEK

  • Information on the patent at this link
  • PoliFlash - Milano Design week at this link
  • Press release at this link

Take a look to the patent within this video

CO2 - capture building materials

  • Development of innovative construction materials through CO2 MINERALIZATION
  • The PROCESS consists on the chemical reaction between CO2 and different types of minerals containing Ca and/or Mg with the production of carbonates able to retain the gas in a stable and permanent way
  • The INNOVATION consists on the use of industrial by-products as the Ca/Mg sources for CO2 mineralization

CO2 uptake from a steel slag block and related microstructure with fine calcite crystals. Carbonated steel slag shows ~ 50 MPa compression strength and ~ 20% mineralized CaCO3

G. Ferrara et al., Carbon sequestration in Steel Slag-based mortar: investigation of chemical composition and mechanical properties. Proceedings of the fib Italy YMG Symposium on Concrete and Concrete Structures 2021

OUR ACTIVITIES:

Collaboration with a Company leader in the building materials to develop innovative binders and construction materials based on the CO2 mineralization
PhD thesis (2022-2024): ‘CO2- sequestration from industrial waste: from basic science to industry- oriented applications’

INDUSTRIAL WASTE FOR CO2 MINERALIZATION:

  • Steel slag
  • Cement kiln dust (CKD)
  • Cement bypass dust (CBD)
  • Recycled cement/concrete
  • Fly ash
  • Bottom ash
  • Olivine

CHARACTERIZATION TECHNIQUES:

  • X-ray Diffraction (XRD)
  • X-ray Fluorescence (XRF)
  • Thermal analysis (DTA-TG)
  • Acidic digestion
  • Laser granulometry
  • Microstructural observations
  • Calorimeter analysis
  • Mechanical properties