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The abandonment of coal energy plants in the near future will result in a substantially reduced availability of the coal fly ash broadly used as an efficient supplementary material. In line with the growth of alternative and renewable energy resources, the amount of biomass-based ash rises substantially. Nevertheless, a diverse chemical composition prevents a broader utilization of biomass-based fly ash compared to coal ash on an industrial scale. On this account, the present work is aimed at investigating the basic physical and mechanical properties of concrete mortars modified by a high volume of biomass fly ash (BFA) from wood combustion. Delivered results confirm a significant potential of BFA in the building industry. Experimental analysis of concrete mortars with BFA reveals preservation or even improvement of compressive and bending strength up to 30 wt.% cement replacement. On the contrary, higher dosages induce a gradual decrease in mechanical performance. The performed Life Cycle Assessment analysis reveals the perspective of BFA incorporation taking into account environmental issues considering the ratio between preservation of mechanical performance per normalized endpoint environmental score that allows a direct comparison with other alternatives.

Epoxy resins are characterized by excellent properties such as chemical resistance, shape stability, hardness and heat resistance, but they present low flame resistance. In this work, the synthesized derivatives, namely hexacyclohexylamino-cyclotriphosphazene (HCACTP) and novel diaminotetracyclohexylamino-cyclotriphosphazene (DTCATP), were applied as curing agents for halogen-free flame retarding epoxy materials. The thermal properties and combustion behavior of the cured epoxy resins were investigated. The obtained results revealed that the application of both derivatives significantly increased flame resistance. The epoxy resins cured with HCACTP and DTCATP exhibited lower total heat release together with lower total smoke production compared to the epoxy materials based on conventional curing agents (dipropylenetriamine and ethylenediamine). Comparing both derivatives, the HCACTP-cured epoxy resin was found to provide a higher flame resistance. The designed novel class of epoxy materials may be used for the preparation of materials with improved flame resistance properties in terms of flame spreading and smoke inhibition.

Facing the consequences of climate change and fuel price rises, the achievement of the requirements for low-energy consumption of buildings has become a challenging issue. On top of that, increased demands on indoor hygrothermal conditions usually require the utilization of additional heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems to maintain a comfortable environment. On this account, several advanced and modern materials are widely investigated as a promising way for reduction of the buildings’ energy consumption including utilization of passive heating/cooling energy. However, the efficiency and suitability of passive strategies depending on several aspects including the influence of location, exterior climatic conditions, load-bearing materials used, and insulation materials applied. The main objective of this study consists of the investigation of the energy performance benefits gained by the utilization of advanced materials in plasters by computational modeling. Results obtained from a computational simulation reveal the capability of the studied passive cooling/heating methods on the moderation of indoor air quality together with the reduction of the diurnal temperature fluctuation. Achieved results disclose differences in terms of energy savings for even small variation in outdoor climate conditions. Additionally, the effectivity of passive cooling/heating alters considerably during the summer and winter periods. Based on the analysis of simulated heat fluxes, the potential energy savings related to improved thermal properties of the applied plaster layer reached up to 12.08% and thus represent an interesting passive solution towards energy sustainability to meet the criteria on modern buildings.