Synthesis of a Green Nano-Silica Material Using Beneficiated Waste Dunites and Its Application in Concrete

A. Lazaro, G. Quercia, H. J. H. Brouwers, J. W. Geus

Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Department of the Built Environment, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Materials innovation institute (M2i), Delft, The Netherlands.

DOI: 10.4236/wjnse.2013.33006                

Abstract

Nano-silica, one of the substances boosting the field of nanomaterials, can be produced by dissolving olivine in acid. The dissolution of olivine is a convenient alternative route to the existing methods of nano-silica production (neutralization of sodium silicate and flame hydrolysis) because the olivine dissolution is a low temperature process making this method cheaper and greener. Furthermore, this process can use waste olivine materials for the production of nano-silica. The produced nano-silica has a specific surface area between 100 and 400 m²/g; a primary particle size between 10 and 25 nm, which is agglomerated in clusters; and an impurity content below 5 wt.%. In addition, olivine nano-silica can be classified as a pozzolanic material with an activity index of 101%. The optimum replacement level of olivine nano-silica in conventional vibrated concrete is around 5% by volume resulting in: 1) a compressive strength increase of 20%; 2) a CO₂ emission reduction of 3%. Therefore, the use of the olivine nano-silica in CVC does not only improve the compressive strength but also reduce the CO₂ emissions.

Keywords

Olivine; Nano-Silica; CO₂ Reduction; Environmentally Friendly; Concrete

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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