UNIVERSITY OF AVEIRO, PORTUGAL

Knowledge institute

Contact

João A. Labrincha
Campus Universitário de Santiago
3810-193 Aveiro

E: jal@ua.pt
T: +35 123 437 02 50

Website: www.ciceco.ua.pt

EFFICIENT, SUSTAINABLE USE OF DISTINCT NON-RENEWABLE RAW MATERIALS

During the last 20 years, here in the Dept. of Materials and Ceramics Engineering of the University of Aveiro (UA), they have conducted research on several topics on efficient/sustainable use of distinct non-renewable raw materials. Technical solutions to increase resource efficient production technologies were addressed. Also, eco-design solutions aiming at high quality recycling were developed from advanced research conducted on raw materials and wastes.

Main examples of research topics are:

– Valorization of wastes from metal finishing processes in the production of inorganic pigments)
The preparation and characterisation of inorganic pigments using industrial wastes as primary sources was fully accomplished. All-rich sludge generated in the waste water treatment unit of an anodising or surface coating industrial plant, galvanizing sludge from the Cr/Ni plating process, and sludge generated in the steel wiredraw process are good candidates for this application. As main findings they can list the following structures: black or brown spinels, novel hibonite-based blue (Co or Ni doped) and chrome-tin red malayaite.
– Paper-pulp wastes as potential raw materials for building materials/products
Recycling of wastes from the cellulose industry, namely biomass fly ash, as a pozzolanic mineral admixture and/or as an activator/binder in cement-based materials.
– Recycling of rejects from mining activities
Cooperative work to define solutions for recycling and recovering rejects of of iron ore mining into common ceramics products (e.g., tiles, bricks and expanded clay), cement clinker; definition of processes to extract valuable species (e.g., silica, TiO2, rare earths).