GEOPOLYMER PRODUCED WITH WASTE FROM THE PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY

• Grant number: 23/05899-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2023
• End date: September 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Civil Engineering - Construction Industry
• Principal Investigator: Juliana Petermann Moretti Pelissari
• Grantee: Izabelly Thaynara Miranda Lage
• Host Institution: Instituto do Mar (IMar). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Baixada Santista. Santos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The construction industry not only consumes a large amount of non-renewable resources and energy but also generates a large amount of waste. One of the most used products in this industry is Portland cement, which is responsible for generating 8% of the total CO2 in the world. In recent years, researchers have been studying alternative materials that are less polluting with geopolymers standing out. These materials are produced through the alkaline activation of solids composed mainly of silica and alumina. Several by-products and industrial/agricultural residues can be used as raw materials in the formulation of geopolymers. During the oil refining process, a spent catalyst rich in silica and alumina, known as Ecat, is generated as waste. An important refinery is located in Baixada Santista, which generates 20 to 40 tons of Ecat per month, and this material is disposed of in industrial landfills. Seeking to provide an alternative for this material, this study will evaluate the performance of geopolymeric matrices produced with different Ecat contents in substitution of metakaolin. Therefore, the following steps are performed: chemical and physical characterization of Ecat and metakaolin; synthesis of geopolymers with different Ecat contents; and characterization of the geopolymers obtained. It is expected that the matrices produced with Ecat have similar properties and/or are superior to the reference matrix (without Ecat). This study may indicate an alternative application and add value to the Ecat generated at the Baixada Santista refinery.