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The Investigation of Phosphogypsum Specimens Processed by Press-Forming Method

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Abstract

Phosphogypsum (further PG) is a by-product obtained from the production process of the phosphate fertilisers. It is produced in enormous quantities, but only 15% of it is recycled. The remaining part is stored in large stockpiles or in water bodies. The harmful water–soluble impurities present in PG composition cause serious ecological complications; therefore, in order to solve this problem, it is crucial to find a useful and large—scale application. In this study, the suitability of the press-formed PG to be used as a binding material is investigated. Three important aspects are considered: the neutralisation of impurities, the degree of hydration and the compressive strength. The addition of the hydrated lime additive in the PG mixture was found to be an effective way to bind the water-soluble harmful phosphates into non-soluble compounds, solving the environmental problem which could limit its application. Moreover, “two-step hydration process” was proven to be a useful way to achieve a higher degree of hydration of the hardened PG specimens. Finally, the press-forming process was found to be an economic way to improve the compressive strength of PG specimens and, therefore, a good alternative to the usage of more expensive additives such as cement. The optimal combination of the compressive strength and the degree of hydration was achieved. In conclusion, the application of press-formed PG in building materials is an economic and efficient way to solve the environmental problems which it is causing today.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Building Materials and Structures Research Centre, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentu st. 48, 51367, Kaunas, Lithuania

    Ignacio Villalón Fornés, Viktoras Doroševas & Danutė Vaičiukynienė

  2. Department of Electrical Power Systems, Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentu st. 48, 51367, Kaunas, Lithuania

    Dalia Nizevičienė

Authors
  1. Ignacio Villalón Fornés
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  2. Viktoras Doroševas
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  3. Danutė Vaičiukynienė
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  4. Dalia Nizevičienė
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Contributions

IVF coordinated the project participating in all the experiments, analysing obtained results and redacting the manuscript. VD came up with the idea of the study and assisted in press-forming processes and compressive strength tests. DV and DN performed and assisted in chemical composition experiments (loss on ignition, XRD analysis, soluble phosphate quantity, pH measurement, SEM–EDS analysis). All authors discussed the results and commented on the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Ignacio Villalón Fornés.

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Villalón Fornés, I., Doroševas, V., Vaičiukynienė, D. et al. The Investigation of Phosphogypsum Specimens Processed by Press-Forming Method. Waste Biomass Valor 12, 1539–1551 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-020-01067-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-020-01067-5

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