Preparation and characterization of ultra-lightweight ceramsite using non-expanded clay and waste sawdust

•A novel process to prepare ultra-lightweight ceramsite using non-expansive clay was proposed.•The effects of sintering formulas and parameters on formation of ceramsite were studied.•The ceramsite with a low bulk density of 280 kg/m3 was achieved under optimum conditions.•The phase transition mecha...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Construction & building materials 2022-09, Vol.346, p.128410, Article 128410
Main Authors: Pei, Jiannan, Pan, Xiaolin, Qi, Yafei, Yu, Haiyan, Tu, Ganfeng
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Non-expanded clay
Phase transition
Physical properties
Ultra-lightweight ceramsite
Waste sawdust
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Summary:•A novel process to prepare ultra-lightweight ceramsite using non-expansive clay was proposed.•The effects of sintering formulas and parameters on formation of ceramsite were studied.•The ceramsite with a low bulk density of 280 kg/m3 was achieved under optimum conditions.•The phase transition mechanism of ultra-lightweight ceramsite was revealed. Expanded clay as a high-quality raw material to produce ceramsite is rapidly consumed in the past decades. A novel and green process to prepare the ultra-lightweight ceramsite using non-expanded clay and waste sawdust as raw materials was proposed in the present study, and the physical properties and phase transition mechanism of the ultra-lightweight ceramsite under different raw material formulas and sintering parameters were investigated. The synergistic effects of sawdust and Fe2O3 have a great influence on the expansion properties of ceramsite. The bulk density of ceramsite decreases with the increasing Fe2O3 content and sintering temperature, and it decreases first and then increases with the increase of sawdust content. The generation of gas and vitreous phase by sawdust burning and Fe2O3 reduction can promote the expansion of ceramsite. The typical core-cortex structure of ceramsite is formed, and the compact structure of the external layer significantly reduces the water absorption of ceramsite. The ultra-lightweight ceramsite was obtained with a bloating index of 321%, water absorption of 12.5%, bulk density of 280 kg/m3, and compressive strength of 1.0 MPa under the optimum conditions.
ISSN:0950-0618
1879-0526
DOI:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.128410