Geopolymers belong to the class of chemically bonded ceramics: they are synthesized at low temperatures and are eco-friendly, as besides the low consolidation temperature required by the process they can be produced from secondary raw materials and industrial waste of various kinds, thus reducing the energy demand and the environmental impact of the entire production cycle. Materials such as fly ash, steel mill slag, biomass ash, sludge and silt, extractive residues, mineral and ceramic powders, organic or inorganic waste fibers, plastics, etc. can be used as precursors or as functionalizing fillers, depending on their reactive, partially reactive or inert nature. Based on the final application required, CNR-ISTEC recycles and valorize industrial waste and by-products of various kinds, designing new materials with high added value and low environmental impact.
Geopolymers allow the use and processing of materials with ceramic properties in the same way as some plastics, avoiding the use of heavy equipment and high temperatures typical of industrial ceramic plants. Such technology also allows the reconversion of industrial waste into secondary raw materials for the production of components and systems with high added value, promoting a reduction in the environmental and economic impact associated with the disposal of such waste. It is an extremely versatile technology, which can be exploited in various industrial sectors, such as civil and infrastructural engineering, construction, eco-design, street furniture, plastic and composite industries, non-ferrous metal foundries and metallurgy, art and decoration, biomaterials, etc.
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