Efeito da ativação alcalina dos aluminossilicatos nas propriedades mecânicas e microestruturais de compósitos argilosos prensados

Abstract

In the chain of energy and motor fuel, in agreement with the policy to adopt green technologies, Brazilian government has encouraged the installation of biodiesel plants to produce an alternative, less polluting and less cost fuel to replace diesel and gasoline. In Paraíba State, the Biodiesel Program was created by the Law 7761 of June 15, 2005. This program initially aims to accomplish two goals: generating clean energy and social inclusion of family farmers. A plant will be built in Campina Grande and will occupy a total area of 704 m2 with a production capacity of approximately 134,000 liters/day (40 million liters/year). These biodiesel plants generate by product in the production process. Some of then, as the water from purification of the biodiesel, have high pH. It is necessary to find a way to avoid that these waste causes high environmental impact. The alkaline activation of certain materials has been studied as an alternative to Portland cement binder. In this work clay-based alkaline activated composites were investigated, with the aim to produce construction blocks. Soil available locally and metakaolin were used. As alkaline activators the Na2SiO3 (sodium silicate) and the NaOH (sodium hydroxide) were obtained commercially, but the KOH (potassium hydroxide) was obtained from the wash water from biodiesel production process. The activators and some small percentage of metakaolin are mixed with the soil and water, and the mix was compressed by a static strength of about 2 MPa, which is commonly provided by hand presses for the fabricate compressed earth blocks. The results show the feasibility of such use of liquid waste from biodiesel. The mechanical strength depends on the concentration of metakaolin, which can reach up to 17 MPa for composites with 22% activated alkaline soil. The durability, physical properties and microstructures of samples with different compositions were also studied.