Silicate composites modified with the use of diabase and barite aggregate as an alternative for low-energy construction.

Growing interest in low-energy construction in Poland causes that apart from the use of renewable energy resources to supply power to the buildings, the most modern technological solutions are used, and sand-lime blocks are among them. They are characterized by high level of heat accumulation, high thermal insulation properties, they are a soundproof barrier allowing to maintain the high standard of using the building. Thanks to the use of exclusively natural raw materials for their production, they are also fully ecological. The purpose of the proposed modifications of silicate bricks is to improve physical and chemical properties, thus the performance characteristics, as well as to improve technological process. The article focuses on the optimization of the silicate material composition with the use of diabase and barite aggregate. Compressive strength, water absorption, density with use of pycnometer, porosity and tightness of composites were determined. Microstructure (phases composition) was examined using SEM, EDS and XRD analysis. Silicate components containing 10% of the diabase aggregate and 10% of barite aggregate achieve a compression strength of more than 8 MPa higher than the reference specimen. The use of modifiers at 10% (5% of diabase and 5% of barite) contributes to the improvement of bulk density from 1.821 to 2.189 g/cm³. This approximates the proper design of the material in terms of heat-humidity and reduces energy consumption in buildings.