Abstract
Contemporary organizations are showing a growing interest in the reuse of solid waste from industrial processes with the intention of reducing environmental impacts and reducing costs. The mining activity is one of the main waste generators in Brazil. In parallel, geopolymeric materials have been gaining prominence in studies that make it a possible substitute for ordinary Portland cement, due to its environmental advantages. Therefore, the present research proposes to study the feasibility of using K-feldspar mining waste as a possible raw material for the manufacture of geopolymer cements. In addition, in line with the latest technological trends, the addition of multi-layered graphene was evaluated as a structural reinforcement for geopolymeric mortar. Graphene was added in three percentages: 0.1 wt.%, 0.3 wt.% and 0.5 wt.%. Specimens were produced in order to evaluate the compressive strength of these materials. As a complementary characterization, the analysis of EDX, laser diffraction particle size and XRD of the waste were performed, as well as SEM and TEM analysis of the graphene used. The results showed that the geopolimerization was effective and that the 0.5% graphene content promoted a significant increase of 65% in the compressive strength. It is concluded, therefore, that with the achieved mechanical strength values, the studied waste can be applied as mortar in auxiliary structures using the geopolymerization technique and that graphene can be used to promote increases in the mechanical strength of the material produced.
Highlights
Social responsibility and sustainability have become constant concerns in the current world geopolitical scenario
The EDX result of the K-feldspar waste show the remarkable presence of the oxides Al2O3 and SiO2, which, according to Yun-Ming et al (2016), are primordial oxides in the manufacture of geopolymeric materials and both are in adequate proportions to justify the obtaining of cements with good mechanical properties
It was possible to perform the geopolymerization of the waste from the extraction of K-feldspar
Summary
Social responsibility and sustainability have become constant concerns in the current world geopolitical scenario. Organizations are developing measures to evaluate environmental performance and investing in sustainable practices in order to increase medium to long term gains (Gomes, 2017). The mining industry plays a prominent role in this scenario, and according to Araújo et al (2012), it is an indispensable sector for the country's economy, being the foundation of the production chain, since the products generated by mining operations are present in the daily life of society in a significant and substantial way. With the exception of its relevance, mining has the ability to provide numerous negative environmental impacts. The waste generated by mining processes has been responsible for numerous environmental impacts, making it a target for studies aiming to reuse this material (Gomes, 2017). From 1996 to 2005, mining waste generation increased from 202 million tons to 290 million tons in 2005, an increase of 1.4 times
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