A researcher from the DLSU iNano Laboratory explores three types of industrial wastes to determine if these can be utilized for the production of affordable, reliable, and safe geopolymer concrete.
Geopolymer concrete, or concrete made of industrial waste material such as fly ash, is not a new discovery by any means. The production of this type of concrete not only reduces stocks
of industrial waste, but it also helps reduce carbon emission by reducing Portland cement demand. It has been deemed as a viable alternative to Portland cement, and it can be used for the construction of residential and commercial buildings.
Contributing to the further study of geopolymer concrete, DLSU iNano Laboratory researcher Christian Maestre, together with Physics Department Full Professor Dr. Gil Nonato Santos, conducted research on three types of industrial wastes found in three different areas in Mindanao: gold mine tailings from impounding facilities of a carbon-in-pulp plant located in Mainit, Davao de Oro, coal fly ash from a coal power plant in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental, and sugarcane bagasse ash from a sugar refining manufacturing company in Maramag, Bukidnon.
To create the geopolymer concrete from these materials, Maestre and Santos made use of bismuth oxide nanomaterial (BiNP) as an additive filler and studied its influence on the electromagnetic interference shielding efficiency (EMI-SE) and high thermal property of the geopolymer concrete.
“By utilizing bismuth oxide nanomaterial, we were able to increase the strength of our solid material, which is comparable to the traditional cement. We were also able to enhance its thermal resistivity. And lastly, we were able to increase its efficiency to shield electromagnetic interference or radiation,” shares Maestre.
Following this discovery, commercial production of geopolymer concrete made from the various industrial wastes is now possible. Companies who will make use of Santos and Maestre’s study to make geopolymer concrete will not only aid in reducing industrial waste from the different areas in Mindanao, but will also contribute to the reduction of carbon emission when producing regular Portland cement.
The viability for use in construction of the geopolymer concrete produced using BiNP, however, is still limited to residential houses and low-rise buildings. Despite this, Maestre is confident that the industry is going in the right direction in terms of looking for alternative options that are cost-efficient, affordable, and sustainable.
“For further research, we can improve on the strength of our geopolymer so we can use
it for large-scale construction projects. Also, we found out that gold mine tailings contain mercury and cyanide, which are both harmful to people and the environment. We can also investigate if these toxic materials are properly immobilized or encapsulated in the geopolymer concrete,” Maestre ends.
Contact: Christian Maestre | christian_maestre@dlsu.edu.ph
