The Research Centre y de Estudios Avanzados-Unidad Saltillo de Mexico has developed a project to obtain new cements using recycled materials, waste and alternative natural raw materials, through manufacturing processes with less environmental impact.
According to the research team, volcanic ash would be an option to consider due to its abundance, low cost, chemical composition and amorphous nature of its atomic structure.
"The ash is passed through a mill and commercially available alkaline and sulphate activating agents are added; the resulting process is a chemical activation with water, resulting in the formation of cementitious chemical compounds, which exhibit excellent engineering properties. The formulations of the new cements contain up to 80 % of volcanic material, without the need to use high-grade kilns during the process," says the researcher in charge of the project, José Iván Escalante García.
