S. Arcaro

Thermal Insulating Foams Produced From Glass Waste and Banana Leaves

In this work, compositions containing transparent glass bottles and banana leaves (desiccated and crushed), with different mass fractions (30-50%), were prepared for obtaining cellular materials for thermal insulation purposes. The formulated and prepared compositions were uniaxially pressed (10 MPa) and the compact powders fired between 700 and 850°C for 30 min in order to investigate the effect of the banana leaves on the formation of pores and on the thermal and mechanical properties of the processed glass foams. The results indicated that the obtained glass foams with porosities between 58.5 and 87.5%, compressive strength ranging between 1.17 and 3.50 MPa and thermal conductivity ranging between 0.06 and 0.15 W/mK, are potential candidates to work as thermal insulators with appropriate properties for a specific application.

Materiais celulares vítreos obtidos via colagem de gel de uma emulsão de óleo vegetal

Residuos de vidro podem ser reutilizados para o desenvolvimento de materiais alternativos. Uma opcao viavel sao os materiais celulares para isolamentos termicos ja que, apresentando poros isolados, possuem baixa condutividade termica, baixa densidade aparente e temperaturas de servico mais altas que a dos materiais isolantes polimericos. Neste trabalho, foi preparada uma suspensao aquosa com residuos de vidro previamente moidos, Agar-agar (gelificante) e Emustab(r) (emulsificante), a qual foi adicionada diferentes fracoes de oleo de soja (50, 70 e 90% em massa). Subsequentemente, foi realizada a emulsificacao do oleo vegetal no liquido da suspensao por meio de agitacao em misturador mecânico de alto cisalhamento. Corpos de prova cilindricos foram produzidos via colagem por gelificacao e queimados a 700 °C/30 min. Os resultados mostraram que os vidros celulares obtidos apresentaram porosidade entre 74 e 93% com poros bem definidos e distribuidos e baixas condutividades termicas (0,05 a 0,09 W/m.K). Tais resultados indicam que os materiais obtidos sao potenciais candidatos para atuarem como isolantes termicos, como por exemplo, paineis para revestimentos utilizados na construcao civil.

Isolantes térmicos produzidos a partir de resíduos sólidos industriais

In this work compositions containing two different wastes, transparent glass bottles, TGB (50-70%), and sludge from sewage treatment plants, STP (30-50%), and pore forming, CaCO3 (2-10%), were prepared for the production of thermal insulators. The mixed raw materials of the formulated compositions were uniaxially pressed (40 MPa) and the powder compacts were dried (110 °C/2 h) and fired in the temperature range between 750 and 1000 °C with holding times from 15 to 60 min. The raw materials and obtained materials were characterized in terms of their chemical, physical and microstructural properties. The results showed that it is possible to produce thermal insulators from optimized compositions containing 70% TGB, 30% STP and 5% CaCO3 and fired between 750 and 1000 °C for 60 min. The fired materials showed porosities between 3 and 62% with thermal conductivities between 1.25 and 0.5 W/m.K and compressive strength ranging from 8.7 to 5.4 MPa. On the basis of the obtained results it can be said, in general terms, that obtained porous materials are strong candidates for structural applications such as panels for thermal insulation which require an adequate combination of thermal conductivity, porosity and mechanical strength.

Processing of Silicas Formed by Slip Casting

In this work suspensions containing natural amorphous silica fibers (NASF), amorphous silica gel and nanometric colloidal amorphous silica were prepared and rheologically analyzed. The suspensions were prepared by varying the volume percentage of solids between 22 and 32%, ammonium polyacrylate (APA), as dispersant, from 0 to 5% and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), as binder, between 1 and 3.5%. The mixtures were obtained in a propeller mechanical mixer and formed by slip casting. The results of rheological characterization indicated that the suspensions with 30% solids, 4% dispersant and 3% binder were those that showed a stable rheological system and suitable for processing by slip casting.

Caracterização de areias de quartzo do estado de Mato Grosso do Sul para aplicações industriais

The north-central region of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, offers great potential for the efficient and sustainable use of quartz sand, taking into account their occurrence in colluvial and fluvial sedimentary deposits and also its versatility in terms of abundance and mineral properties. Thus, 100 drilling points were defined and the samples characterized in terms of their chemical, physical and mineralogical properties. The main results showed that the characterized sands have relatively high contents of silica (SiO2) and low iron oxide (Fe2O3), that is, 70% of samples containing more than 90% SiO2 and 63% of samples containing less than 1% Fe2O3. Particle size analysis revealed an average particle size between 150 and 500 µm for 90% of samples. Thus, the feasibility of using quartz sand for the production of glass is presented and discussed.

Reologia de suspensões de precursor vitrocerâmico do sistema LiO2-ZrO2-SiO2-Al2O3

Aqueous ceramic suspensions were prepared from a parent glass powder belonging to the LZSA (LiO2-ZrO2-SiO2-AlO2) glass-ceramic system. The processing conditions were established by the physical and chemical characteristics of the parent glass powder and by the rheological study of the formulated suspensions. Knowing the characteristics of the glass powder, such as the particle size, the solid content was varied on the suspensions. The solid content was varied from 30 to 40 vol.% and the additives added were ammonium polyacrylate as dispersant (PAA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as binder from 1.0 to 3.0% and 0.1-0.5% (based on solid weight in the suspension), respectively. Considering the influence of the additives on the rheological behavior as well as the desired characteristics for ceramic green bodies (high density) the suspensions were processed by slip casting. The results showed that suspensions processed with 40% solids, 2% PAA, 0.3% PVA, provided the best conditions for slip casting of LZSA glass powders.