Thermal decomposition of cement–asbestos at 1100 °C: how much “safe” is “safe”?

Epoxy Resins for Flooring Applications, an Optimal Host for Recycling Deactivated Cement Asbestos

“…The influence of fillers on the mechanical properties of a composite is determined by their size, shape, and nature of the interaction with the matrix [ 30 ]. The deactivation process of CAS presented in Marian and Vergani [ 1 , 2 ] radically changes the mineralogy by transforming the asbestos fibres into a mixture of glass and micro-to-nano particles of Ca-Mg-Al silicates. In principle, the mechanical properties of composites made with this new material are not related with asbestos and should be tested extensively.…”

“…DCAP consists of a mixture of glass and Ca-Mg-Al silicates typical of cements, as a result of in-air heat treatment at ~1100 °C of CAS and subsequent 10 min milling in ball mill [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]. The DCAP used here is the same exhaustively investigated by Vergani et al [ 2 ] through a combination of state-of-the-art techniques, including X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), dynamic laser scattering (DLS), scanning (SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). For reader convenience, we summarize in Table 2 the main properties of DCAP, while in Figure 1 we compare the grain size distribution of DCAP with that of barite originally present in PF samples, obtained by DLS (more details in [ 2 ]).…”

“…The DCAP used here is the same exhaustively investigated by Vergani et al [ 2 ] through a combination of state-of-the-art techniques, including X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), dynamic laser scattering (DLS), scanning (SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). For reader convenience, we summarize in Table 2 the main properties of DCAP, while in Figure 1 we compare the grain size distribution of DCAP with that of barite originally present in PF samples, obtained by DLS (more details in [ 2 ]). The barite content of the PF0 sample was obtained through a thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), resulting in 38 wt% ( Figure S1 in the supporting material ).…”

“…The goal of this work is to use the powder obtained by the deactivation of cement asbestos slates (CAS) through thermal treatments [ 1 , 2 ] as a new non-conventional filler for polymer composites. Asbestos is a term used to indicate the fibrous minerals belonging to the serpentine and amphibole groups [ 3 ] employed as raw materials worldwide since the middle of the past century.…”

“…The European Parliament resolution of 14 March 2013 on asbestos-related occupational health threats and prospects for abolishing all existing asbestos (2012/2065(INI)) instead suggests processing with an energy-sustainable detoxification treatment and reusing the deactivated material. If realized, it would protect the natural environment from pollution, minimise the depletion of non-renewable resources, and protect human health from hazards [ 1 , 2 , 4 ].…”