Synthesis and processing routes of porous materials from Fe-rich slags

The doctoral dissertation will be a part of the SBO project “Geopolymers and Hybrid Cements for Roads and Tunnels” (GHRANTE). The main goal of the project is “to develop innovative, recyclable inorganic polymers-based materials from residues of the non-ferrous metallurgy”. The goals of within those WPs are: WP1: To develop inorganic polymers containing Ca and/or Fe that incorporates the target residues. WP4: To develop a sound absorptive highway panel with satisfactory durability and resistance using inorganic polymers or hybrid cements. The research will start by the analysis of a suitable precursor for inorganic polymers (IP). This involves the characterization and reactivity assessment, reaction kinetics and study of the binder properties (WP1). The outcome of this WP will be used as a starting point for the core research of the doctoral dissertation, which is the development of a highly durable and resistant sound absorbing highway panel (WP4). This material is conceived as a highly porous matrix, which will allow the absorption of the sound waves. The production of such material will be explored by several techniques and parameters. Chemical foaming and the introduction of lightweight aggregates correspond to some of the tasks within the work. After optimization of the properties in terms of acoustic absorption, the design a layered acoustic panel is aimed, using a dense layer of IP with at least 2 layers of porous IP.