Abstracts Book - IMRC 2018

• SWMC-O026
THE USE OF WASTE ACTIVATED SLUDGE (WAS) FOR PRODUCTION
OF CARBON ADSORBENT AND POROUS CERAMICS
Abigail Parra Parra 1 , Marina Vlasova 1 , Pedro Antonio Márquez Aguilar 1 , Veronica Gonzalez
Molina 1
1 Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y
Ciencias Aplicadas, Mexico.
The recycling of waste activated sludge (WAS) formed in the process of biological
purification of sewage is an urgent ecological problem. The aim of our work was
development various technological schemes for the utilization of WAS for obtaining:
1) carbon adsorbent in the framework of low –temperature carbonization of WAS;
2) synthesis in the framework of low-temperature sintering of WAS-glass mixtures
of composite adsorbent granules consisting from carbon and porous glass; 3) lowtemperature
synthesis of foam glass from mixtures WAS-a fusible comminuted
glass; 4) Synthesis of porous brick products in water-saving mode when using WAS
with high humidity, 5) Production of porous carbonized ceramics using WAS and
firing under oxygen deficiency conditions.
The performed investigations showed that, after temperature treatment in an
argon atmosphere, WAS transforms into a carbonized multicomponent porous
material consisting of predominantly porous aggregates of carbon black
nanoparticles with broken bonds (radicals). The sorbability of the carbonizate
depends on the treatment temperature and time. WAS carbonized at 600 ºC for 30
min has the highest sorption activity. The temperature treatment in air of the
composites consisting from glass –WAS in range 600–700 °C for 30–60 min is
accompanied by the formation of specimens of complex structure: a porous glass
shell and a carbonized core. Specimens having a carbon core and open porosity in
the external glass shell exhibit good adsorption properties. Porous specimens
without a carbon core are foam glass and can be used as a heat-insulating and
sound-insulating material. The use of WAS enables one to perform plastic molding
of products without using free water and, therefore, to reach a water-saving
technology. Sintering in air leads to the thermal destruction of WAS, the formation
of a blowing agent (CO2) and, as a result, the production of porous ceramics.
Sintering in the argon medium in the region (600-1000) ºC is accompanied by the
formation of amorphous carbon in the porous ceramic material. Samples with a
high content of free amorphous carbon have adsorption properties and can be
used to purify industrial wastewater from dyes.
Keywords: WAS, Carbon Formation, Porous Ceramics
Presenting authors email: abigail.parra@uaem.mx