Formation of Clinker Containing Copper

Abstract

AbstractCopper is one of many elements present in secondary raw materials. These coppers containing secondary raw materials can be utilized in the production of ordinary Portland cement (OPC). At laboratory conditions, copper significantly influences the formation of clinker melt and the main clinker phase—alite. For the scope of this research, differential thermal analysis (DTA), powder X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), optical microscopy (OM), and scanning electron microscopy with electron dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) methods were used for the investigation of the influence of copper on clinker. It has been confirmed, that addition of copper-containing compounds to a raw meal has a significant intensification effect on the clinker melt formation. On the other hand, a decrease in the total alite content in the clinker with increasing CuO content has been observed. Observations were conducted on clinkers with CuO content up to 4 wt.%. The addition of CuO also reduced burning temperatures of alitic clinker from standard industrial burning temperature of 1450–1250 ℃. The decrease of 200 ℃ in burning temperature has applications for clinker production and reduction of emissions.KeywordsCopperClinker formationPhase compositionAlite