Mineralogical Evolution of Kaolin‐Based Drinking Water Treatment Waste for Use as Pozzolanic Material. The Effect of Activation Temperature

Abstract

This study reports on exhaustive scientific research into the influence of the activation temperature of inert waste from drinking water treatment plants for use as supplementary cementing material in cements. The effect of activation temperature on the mineralogy of the reactive products resulting from pozzolanic activity and on the evolution of the hydrated phases formed during the pozzolanic reaction at 28 d of curing was analyzed with the assistance of different instrumental techniques such asX‐ray fluorescence,X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The results show that all the activated products (based on metakaolinite) presented high pozzolanic activity at all ages of the reaction (up to 90 d), although 600°C at 2 h are the recommended ideal activation conditions from an energetic and economic viewpoint. The activation temperature (600°C–900°C for 2 h of retention) plays an important role in the reaction kinetics in activated drinking water waste/Ca(OH)2systems. The hydrated phases identified under these activation conditions were very similar, but with important differences in the crystalline aluminates phases content. Thus, the formation of stratlingite (C2ASH8) is favored at low temperatures (<800°C); whereas at higher temperatures (at 900°C), tetra calcium aluminate hydrate (C4AH13) appears as the only crystalline phase. Finally, this type of treatment of drinking water waste (based on kaolinite) is ideal to obtain future pozzolans based on recycled metakaoline, a product that is currently listed in international standards for the manufacture of commercial cements.