| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2025 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Bauxite Residue Valorization and Best Practices
|
| Presentation Title |
Towards Scalable Autoclaved Masonry Units: How Bauxite Residue Feedstock Characteristics Impact Performance |
| Author(s) |
Tobias Hertel, Yakinthi Avtzi, Nikolaos Athanasakis, Fábio Oliveira, Glenn Beersaerts, Yiannis Pontikes |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Tobias Hertel |
| Abstract Scope |
One barrier for the valorisation of bauxite residue (BR) in the construction sector is the limited benefit to the performance. Various processing routes to enhance the reactivity are discussed in the literature; however, they are often limited to lab-scale testing, with economic feasibility and sustainability often not considered. In this study, we propose an alternative process for transforming a BR-rich blend into autoclaved masonry units and investigate the impact of different BR feedstocks on their performance. To minimise environmental and economic risks of a potential implementation, off-the-shelf-equipment with industrial process parameters were used (200°C-16 bar steam pressure). Results demonstrated a dependence of performance on the BR-feedstock characteristics, notably phase assemblage and pore solution chemistry. The mechanical properties varied, ranging from 10-25 MPa. Selected blends were successfully scaled up to tiles using pilot-scale equipment, indicating the technical feasibility to upscale and implement the process for a wide range of BRs. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: TMS Journal: Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy |