Microwave Fast Sintering Production of Sustainable Lightweight Aggregates with Agroindustrial Waste
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 34, Issue 8
Abstract
This study aims at analyzing the influence of agroindustrial waste incorporation into red ceramics to produce lightweight aggregates sintered in a microwave oven. Sustainable artificial lightweight aggregates are sought out, particularly in the context of a circular economy. At first, red clay, sugarcane bagasse ash, and rice husk ash were characterized by means of X-ray fluorescence, loss on ignition, X-ray diffraction, grain sizing, true specific mass, and thermal gravimetric analysis. Three different ceramic masses were extruded: the reference, with no added waste; clay with 40% sugarcane bagasse ash; and clay with 40% rice husk ash. All samples were presintered in a conventional oven at 600°C for 60 min. Conventional sintering occurred at temperatures between 700°C and 1,100°C at a heating rate. Microwave sintering occurred for 5, 10, and 15 min, at a heating rate in a chamber coated with silicon carbide (susceptor). After sintering, specimens were characterized regarding linear shrinkage, water absorption, apparent porosity, apparent specific mass, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. Results showed that microwave sintering increased compressive strength, decreased water absorption, and provided microstructure refinement. The addition of waste reduced specimens’ specific mass after sintering. Sugarcane bagasse ash–added red ceramic specimens sintered in a microwave oven yielded values close to those of Brazilian expanded clay, thus appearing as an alternative for production of more sustainable lightweight aggregates, in view of greater agroindustrial waste utilization and lower energetic consumption during the sintering process.
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Data Availability Statement
All data generated during the study are available from the corresponding author by request.
Acknowledgments
This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior–Brasil (CAPES)–Finance Code 001.
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 34 • Issue 8 • August 2022
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 25, 2021
Accepted: Nov 24, 2021
Published online: May 17, 2022
Published in print: Aug 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Oct 17, 2022
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