Fabrication of Lightweight Aggregates from FRP Waste

Abstract

Lightweight aggregates were prepared from ground FRP waste, which had been decomposed in N(2) gas or air, mixed with clay as a binder and CaCO(3) as a foaming agent, and fired at temperatures between 800 degrees C and 950 degrees C in air. The fabrication of the lightweight aggregates was found to depend on the amount of char, CaCO(3), and the firing temperature. At all temperatures, the samples prepared from the FRP waste that had been decomposed in N(2) gas did not yield pore structure required for lightweight aggregates due to a relatively large amount of char. However, the sample containing a small amount of char prepared from the FRP waste that had been decomposed in air showed well-developed closed pores at 900 degrees C and 950 degrees C. The addition of 5 wt% CaCO(3) resulted in the most uniform pore structure. As the amount of CaCO(3) or the firing temperature was increased, the pore size and its distribution became larger and broadened. (C) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2010