Characterization of Volcano-Sedimentary Rocks and Related Scraps for Design of Sustainable Materials

Abstract

This work started as a joint academia and company research project with the aim of finding new applications for domestically sourced volcanic products and related waste (pumice, lapillus, zeolitic tuff and volcanic debris from Tessennano and Arlena quarry) by creating a database of secondary volcanic raw materials and their intrinsic characteristics to help industry replace virgin materials and enhance circularity. In this context, accurate chemical, mineralogical, morphological, granulometric and thermal characterizations were performed. Based on the results presented, it can be concluded that due to their lightness, these materials can be used in the design and preparation of lightweight aggregates for agronomic purposes or in the construction field. Furthermore, due to their aluminosilicate nature and amorphous fraction, pumice and lapillus can play the role of precursor or activator for geopolymer preparation. With its porous nature, zeolitic tuff can be exploited for flue gas treatment. Due to the presence of feldspathic phase (sanidine), these materials can be used in tile production as a fluxing component, and with their pozzolanic activity and calcium content, they have application in the binder field as supplementary cementitious material or as aggregates.

Analysis of Pore Structure in Cement Pastes with Micronized Natural Zeolite

“…Aside from by-products of industry, supplementary cementitious materials could also come from natural sources. Volcanic tuffs are a prime source for pozzolanic materials to be used as a partial replacement for OPC [ 16 , 17 ]. Zeolites, a naturally occurring volcanic rock, are known for their wide range of applications in agriculture, the petrochemical industry, cement industry, and, more recently, in nuclear waste repositories [ 18 ].…”