Alkaline attack of boro-alumino-silicate glass: new insights of the molecular mechanism of cold consolidation and new applications

Giulia Tameni; Diana Lago; Hana Kaňková; Lenka Buňová; Jozef Kraxner; Dusan Galusek; Daniel M. Dawson; Sharon E. Ashbrook; Enrico Bernardo

doi:10.1016/j.oceram.2024.100726

Alkaline attack of boro-alumino-silicate glass: new insights of the molecular mechanism of cold consolidation and new applications

Giulia Tameni, Diana Lago, Hana Kaňková, Lenka Buňová, Jozef Kraxner, Dusan Galusek, Daniel M. Dawson, Sharon E. Ashbrook, Enrico Bernardo^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Alkali activation is of interest for the development of sustainable construction materials, especially those produced from waste-derived reactive alumino-silicate feedstock. Fine powders suspended in concentrated alkaline aqueous solutions undergo gelation during drying by condensation reactions that involve the products of glass dissolution. Boro-alumino-silicate glasses from discarded pharmaceutical containers can be activated under ‘mild’ conditions (2.5 M NaOH/KOH), upon drying at 40 °C for 7 days. This work focuses on the study of specific molecular mechanism of glass hardening after the alkali activation. Contrary to what has been reported for geopolymers, hardening does not result from an extensive dissolution phase. Condensation reactions occur in hydrated surface layers, leading to formation of strong bonds (Si-O-Si, Al-O-Si, etc.) between individual glass particles. Silicates, borates, and aluminates from glass dissolution combine with alkaline ions, yielding additional soluble phases. The proposed mechanism is supported by the results of solid-state NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis using ICP OES. Stable matrices prepared by direct foaming or by the inclusion of cenospheres or commercial expanded glass (Poraver®) can be exploited for the fabrication of lightweight components.

Original language	English
Article number	100726
Number of pages	10
Journal	Open Ceramics
Volume	21
Early online date	24 Dec 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceram.2024.100726
Publication status	Published - 1 Mar 2025

Keywords

Pharmaceutical glass
Alkali activation process
Solid-state NMR spectroscopy
Leaching test

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Alkaline attack of boro-alumino-silicate glass: New insights of the molecular mechanism of cold consolidation and new applications (dataset)
Tameni, G. (Creator), Lago, D. (Creator), Kaňková, H. (Creator), Buňová, L. (Creator), Kraxner, J. (Creator), Galusek , D. (Creator), Dawson, D. M. (Creator), Ashbrook, S. E. (Creator) & Bernardo, E. (Creator), University of St Andrews, 4 Mar 2025
DOI: 10.17630/0db59a37-351a-4e4f-8e01-f3e662b03fdc
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title = "Alkaline attack of boro-alumino-silicate glass: new insights of the molecular mechanism of cold consolidation and new applications",

abstract = "Alkali activation is of interest for the development of sustainable construction materials, especially those produced from waste-derived reactive alumino-silicate feedstock. Fine powders suspended in concentrated alkaline aqueous solutions undergo gelation during drying by condensation reactions that involve the products of glass dissolution. Boro-alumino-silicate glasses from discarded pharmaceutical containers can be activated under {\textquoteleft}mild{\textquoteright} conditions (2.5 M NaOH/KOH), upon drying at 40 °C for 7 days. This work focuses on the study of specific molecular mechanism of glass hardening after the alkali activation. Contrary to what has been reported for geopolymers, hardening does not result from an extensive dissolution phase. Condensation reactions occur in hydrated surface layers, leading to formation of strong bonds (Si-O-Si, Al-O-Si, etc.) between individual glass particles. Silicates, borates, and aluminates from glass dissolution combine with alkaline ions, yielding additional soluble phases. The proposed mechanism is supported by the results of solid-state NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis using ICP OES. Stable matrices prepared by direct foaming or by the inclusion of cenospheres or commercial expanded glass (Poraver{\textregistered}) can be exploited for the fabrication of lightweight components.",

keywords = "Pharmaceutical glass, Alkali activation process, Solid-state NMR spectroscopy, Leaching test",

author = "Giulia Tameni and Diana Lago and Hana Ka{\v n}kov{\'a} and Lenka Bu{\v n}ov{\'a} and Jozef Kraxner and Dusan Galusek and Dawson, {Daniel M.} and Ashbrook, {Sharon E.} and Enrico Bernardo",

note = "Funding: This paper is a part of the dissemination activities of project {\textquoteleft}FunGlass{\textquoteright}. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 739566. G.T and E.B. acknowledge additional support from the University of Padova (Dept. Industrial Engineering) by means of the project “SusPIRe” (Sustainable porous ceramics from inorganic residues, BIRD202134) and from Italian Ministry of University & Research (MUR), through National project MUR PON R&I 2014–2021 and Next Generation EU funds, PRIN 2022 PNRR project {\textquoteleft}GLASS_TREA.S.U.RES{\textquoteright} (GLASS-based TREAtments for Sustainable Upcycling of inorganic RESidues, #P2022S4TK2). E.B. and S.E.A. acknowledge also the Padua-St Andrews Joint Seed Funding Scheme.",

year = "2025",

month = mar,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.oceram.2024.100726",

language = "English",

volume = "21",

journal = "Open Ceramics",

issn = "2666-5395",

publisher = "Elsevier",

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T1 - Alkaline attack of boro-alumino-silicate glass

T2 - new insights of the molecular mechanism of cold consolidation and new applications

AU - Tameni, Giulia

AU - Lago, Diana

AU - Kaňková, Hana

AU - Buňová, Lenka

AU - Kraxner, Jozef

AU - Galusek, Dusan

AU - Dawson, Daniel M.

AU - Ashbrook, Sharon E.

AU - Bernardo, Enrico

N1 - Funding: This paper is a part of the dissemination activities of project ‘FunGlass’. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 739566. G.T and E.B. acknowledge additional support from the University of Padova (Dept. Industrial Engineering) by means of the project “SusPIRe” (Sustainable porous ceramics from inorganic residues, BIRD202134) and from Italian Ministry of University & Research (MUR), through National project MUR PON R&I 2014–2021 and Next Generation EU funds, PRIN 2022 PNRR project ‘GLASS_TREA.S.U.RES’ (GLASS-based TREAtments for Sustainable Upcycling of inorganic RESidues, #P2022S4TK2). E.B. and S.E.A. acknowledge also the Padua-St Andrews Joint Seed Funding Scheme.

PY - 2025/3/1

Y1 - 2025/3/1

N2 - Alkali activation is of interest for the development of sustainable construction materials, especially those produced from waste-derived reactive alumino-silicate feedstock. Fine powders suspended in concentrated alkaline aqueous solutions undergo gelation during drying by condensation reactions that involve the products of glass dissolution. Boro-alumino-silicate glasses from discarded pharmaceutical containers can be activated under ‘mild’ conditions (2.5 M NaOH/KOH), upon drying at 40 °C for 7 days. This work focuses on the study of specific molecular mechanism of glass hardening after the alkali activation. Contrary to what has been reported for geopolymers, hardening does not result from an extensive dissolution phase. Condensation reactions occur in hydrated surface layers, leading to formation of strong bonds (Si-O-Si, Al-O-Si, etc.) between individual glass particles. Silicates, borates, and aluminates from glass dissolution combine with alkaline ions, yielding additional soluble phases. The proposed mechanism is supported by the results of solid-state NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis using ICP OES. Stable matrices prepared by direct foaming or by the inclusion of cenospheres or commercial expanded glass (Poraver®) can be exploited for the fabrication of lightweight components.

AB - Alkali activation is of interest for the development of sustainable construction materials, especially those produced from waste-derived reactive alumino-silicate feedstock. Fine powders suspended in concentrated alkaline aqueous solutions undergo gelation during drying by condensation reactions that involve the products of glass dissolution. Boro-alumino-silicate glasses from discarded pharmaceutical containers can be activated under ‘mild’ conditions (2.5 M NaOH/KOH), upon drying at 40 °C for 7 days. This work focuses on the study of specific molecular mechanism of glass hardening after the alkali activation. Contrary to what has been reported for geopolymers, hardening does not result from an extensive dissolution phase. Condensation reactions occur in hydrated surface layers, leading to formation of strong bonds (Si-O-Si, Al-O-Si, etc.) between individual glass particles. Silicates, borates, and aluminates from glass dissolution combine with alkaline ions, yielding additional soluble phases. The proposed mechanism is supported by the results of solid-state NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis using ICP OES. Stable matrices prepared by direct foaming or by the inclusion of cenospheres or commercial expanded glass (Poraver®) can be exploited for the fabrication of lightweight components.

KW - Pharmaceutical glass

KW - Alkali activation process

KW - Solid-state NMR spectroscopy

KW - Leaching test

U2 - 10.1016/j.oceram.2024.100726

DO - 10.1016/j.oceram.2024.100726

M3 - Article

SN - 2666-5395

VL - 21

JO - Open Ceramics

JF - Open Ceramics

M1 - 100726

ER -

Alkaline attack of boro-alumino-silicate glass: new insights of the molecular mechanism of cold consolidation and new applications

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Keywords

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Alkaline attack of boro-alumino-silicate glass: New insights of the molecular mechanism of cold consolidation and new applications (dataset)

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