Synthetic Slag Production Method Based on a Solid Waste Mix Vitrification for the Manufacturing of Slag-Cement

• Main Authors: Mónica Rodríguez-Galán, Bernabé Alonso-Fariñas, Francisco M. Baena-Moreno, Carlos Leiva, Benito Navarrete, Luis F. Vilches
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-01-01
• Series: Materials
• Subjects: blast furnace slag; slag-cement; synthetic slags; waste recycling
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/12/2/208

Herein an innovative process to develop a potential vitreous material with cementing properties is proposed. This process paves a production path through melting industrial waste and subsequently cooling the casting in water. The idea erases the need to reduce the environmental impact of the cement industry in terms of natural resources consumption as well as the re-utilization of abandoned wastes from other industries. The recycled industrial wastes were selected according to the amount of waste produced in the industrial field and its suitable chemical composition, such as construction and demolition waste and/or shells from shellfish. As a main result, the mechanical properties showed by our novel material were worse than those reported by blast furnace slag (25–28 MPa for two different proportions) for seven days and better (43–52 MPa for two different proportions) for 28 days. The rest of the properties evaluated were in agreement with the standards’ requirements. Hence, this novel process would help to minimize the environmental impact of these wastes at the same time that their use in the cement industry would reduce the consumption of raw materials.