Green synthesis of ZSM-5 using silica fume and catalytic co-cracking of lignin and plastics for production of monocyclic aromatics

ZSM-5 with hierarchical pore structure was synthesized by a simple two-step hydrothermal crystallization from silica fume without using any organic ammonium templates.The synthesized ZSM-5 were oval shaped particles with a particle size about 2.0 μm and weak acid-dominated with proper Brønsted(B)and Lewis(L)acid sites.The ZSM-5 was used for catalytic co-cracking of n-octane and guaiacol,lowdensity polyethylene(LDPE)and alkali lignin(AL)to enhance the production of benzene,toluene,ethylbenzene and xylene(BTEX).The most significant synergistic effect occurred at n-octane/guaiacol at 1:1 and LDPE/AL at 1:3,under the condition,the achieved BTEX selectivity were 24%and 33%(mass)higher than the calculated values(weighted average).The highest BTEX selectivity reached 88.5%,which was 3.7%and 54.2%higher than those from individual cracking LDPE and AL.The synthesized ZSM-5 exhibited superior catalytic performance compared to the commercial ZSM-5,indicating potential application prospect.

Improving Impact Toughness of Polylactide/Ethylene-co-vinyl-acetate Blends via Adding Fumed Silica Nanoparticles:Effects of Specific Surface Area-dependent Interfacial Selective Distribution of Silica

Adding fumed silica(Si0_(2))has been considered as an effective method for tailoring the phase morphology and performance of elastomer-toughened plastic binary blends.It has been demonstrated that the selective distribution of SiO_(2) plays a decisive role in the mechanical properties of plastic/elastomer/SiO_(2)nanocomposites,especially for the impact toughness.In this work,we aim to illuminate the role of specific surface area in controlling their selective distribution of fumed SiO_(2) and consequent mechanical properties of plastic/elastomer binary blends.Three types of SiO_(2) with different specific surface areas were incorporated into polylactide/ethylene-co-vinyl-acetate(PLA/EVA)model blends by melt blending directly.It was found that the selective distribution of SiO_(2) is largely determined by their specific surface areas,i.e.SiO_(2) nanoparticles with low specific surface area has a stronger tendency to be located at the interface between PLA matrix and EVA dispersed phase as compared to those with high specific surface area.The specific surface area-dependent interfacial selective distribution of SiO_(2) is mainly attributed to the extent of increased viscosity of EVA dispersed phase in which SiO_(2)nanoparticles are initially dispersed and resultant migration rate of SiO_(2) nanoparticles.The interfacial localized SiO_(2) nanoparticles induce an obvious enhancement in the impact toughness with strength and modulus well maintained.More importantly,in the case of the same interfacial distribution,toughening efficiency is increased with the specific surface area of SiO_(2).Therefore,this is an optimum specific surface area of SiO_(2) for the toughening.This work not only provides a novel way to manipulate the selective distribution of SiO_(2) in elastomer-toughened plastic blends toward high-performance,but also gives a deep insight into the role of interfacial localized nanoparticles in the toughening mechanism.

PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF FUMED SILICA/CYANATE ESTER NANOCOMPOSITES

Fumed silica/bisphenol A dicyanate ester （BADCy） nanocomposites were prepared by introducing different contents of nano-sized fumed SiO2 into the BADCy matrix. Two different average primary particle diameters of 12 and 40 nm were chosen. Dibutyltindilaurate （DBTDL） catalyst was chosen to catalyze the cyanate ester group into triazine group via cyclotrimerization reaction. The SEM micrographs indicated that the fumed SiO2 particles were homogeneously dispersed in the poly（bisphenol A dicyanate） matrix by means of ultrasonic treatment and the addition of a coupling agent. The FTIR spectroscopy shows that, not only DBTDL catalyzes the polymerization reaction but also --OH groups of the SiO2 particles surface help the catalyst for the complete polymerization of BADCy monomer. The thermal stability of the cured BADCy can be improved by adequate addition of fumed SiO2. A slight increase in the dielectric constant and dielectric loss values were identified by testing the dielectric properties of the prepared nanocomposite samples. By increasing the SiO2 content, there was a slight increasing in the thermal conductivity values of the tested samples. The obtained results proved that the fumed silica/BADCy nanocomposites had good thermal and dielectrieal properties and can be used in many applications such as in the thermal insulation field.

Preparation,Structure,and Properties of Flexible Polyurethane Foams Filled with Fumed Silica

Flexible polyurethane （PU） foams with different load-ing mass fraction （0%-2.0%） of fumed silica were synthesized by free-rising foaming method. The addition of 1.4% fumed silica makes the cells diffuse more uniform in the PU foam and the temperature of degradation occurring with a maximum weight loss rate is about 7℃ higher than that of pure PU foam. Most signifi-cantly,the sound absorption peaks of the filled PU foams shift to the low frequency region （from 997 Hz to 711 Hz） with increasing fumed silica content （0%-2.0%）. The average sound absorption coefficients of filled PU foams increase except the content of 0.35% fumed silica. The experimental results show that flexible PU foams filled with fumed silica have excellent sound absorption characteristics in low-frequency regions.

Rheology of Poly(vinyl butyral)Solution Containing Fumed Silica in Correlation with Electrospinning

The rheological properties in question are influenced by many factors, ranging from the characteristics of the given polymer or solvent to the flowing conditions. The primary focus of this study is to analyse the rheological behaviour of poly（vinyl butyral）—Mowital B 60 H—（PVB） solutions dissolved in methanol and a blend of these with fumed silica nanoparticles. The preparation of the nanofibrous web and the quality of nanofibres were correlated with the rheology of the polymer solution. It was discerned that drastically intensifying shear viscosity and the elasticity of the solution exerted a negligible effect on the formation of fibres, a finding which has rarely been discussed in the literature. The morphologies and structures of the PVB/silica nanofibrous membranes were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Effect of Different Silica Fumes on Properties of Al_(2)O_(3)-SiC-C Castables for Iron Trough

In order to improve the performance of Al_(2)O_(3)-SiC-C castables for iron trough,samples were prepared using brown corundum,dense corundum,activated alumina micropowder,ball pitch,and silicon as main raw materials,calcium aluminate cement as the binder.Several kinds of silica fumes(93SiO_(2),96SiO_(2),and 99SiO_(2))with different particle size distributions and chemical composition were added to research the effects on the properties of castables.The results show that the sample with 99SiO_(2) fume has high water requirement for molding,but the bulk density is the lowest,the apparent porosity is the highest,the oxidation resistance is the worst,and the permanent linear change on heating is low after firing at 1 450 ℃ for 3 h.The bulk density and the apparent porosity of the sample with 93SiO_(2) fume or 96SiO_(2) fume are equivalent,the hot modulus of rupture of the sample with 93SiO_(2) fume is the lowest,and the slag resistance of the sample with 96SiO_(2) fume is the best.The comprehensive performance of the sample with 96SiO_(2) fume is the best.

On the Combination of Silica Fume and Ceramic Waste for the Sustainable Production of Mortar

The combined use of silica fume(SF)and ceramic waste(CW)for the production of mortar is studied.Sand is replaced by 5%,10%,15%and 20%of CW while a fixed 5%percentage(%wt of cement)of SF is used.The results show that the best results are obtained by using silica fume and ceramic waste sand with 15%weight of sand and 5%wt of cement.With the addition of sand ceramic waste(SCW),the mortar compressive strength and density increase,while the porosity displays an opposite trend.The experimental analysis is complemented with theoretical considerations on the matrix strength and related improvements in mechanical behavior.It is shown that the agreement between the experimental values and the estimated values is good.

Enhancing Concrete Properties Using Silica Fume:Optimized Mix Design

In the current work concrete mixes containing(7.0-33.11)weight%silica fume as fractional substitution of cement with water/cement ratio(0.42-0.48)were formulated conferring to an implemented two factorial central composite design.The samples were water cured for 7,28,56,and 90 days.The samples were tested for compressive strength and density.The experimental results approved that compressive strength and density increase with age and with rising silica fume content up to 11.9 wt.%.Response surface analysis results for samples cured for 28 days confirmed that silica fume concrete with developed compressive strength(53.42 MPa)could be prepared by incorporation of 11.9 wt.%silica fume as a substituent for cement using a 0.42 water/cement ratio.An intensification in compressive strength and density(up to 39.3%and 2.6%)respectively was recorded for silica fume concrete mixes in contrast to Portland cement concrete.Overall,the research findings revealed that silica fume concretes prepared with appropriate silica fume content and water/cement ratio exhibited superior strength and density features candidate them to be used effectively in civil engineering structural applications.

Recent research in mechanical properties of geopolymer-based ultrahigh-performance concrete:A review

Due to the growing need for sustainable and ultra-high-strength construction materials,scientists have created an innovative ultra-high-performance concrete called Geopolymer based ultra-highperformance concrete(GUHPC).Besides,in the last few decades,there have been a lot of explosions and ballistic attacks around the world,which have killed many civilians and fighters in border areas.In this context,this article reviews the fresh state and mechanical properties of GUHPC.Firstly,the ingredients of GUHPC and fresh properties such as setting time and flowability are briefly covered.Secondly,the review of compressive strength,flexure strength,tensile strength and modulus of elasticity of fibrous GUHPC.Thirdly,the blast and projectile impact resistance performance was reviewed.Finally,the microstructural characteristics were reviewed using the scanning electron microscope and X-ray Powder Diffraction.The review outcome reveals that the mechanical properties were increased when 30%silica fume was added to a higher dose of steel fibre to improve the microstructure of GUHPC.It is hypothesized that the brittleness of GUHPC was mitigated by adding 1.5%steel fibre reinforcement,which played a role in the decrease of contact explosion cratering and spalling.Removing the need for cement in GUHPC was a key factor in the review,indicating a promising potential for lowering carbon emissions.However,GUHPC research is still in its early stages,so more study is required before its full potential can be utilized.

A Comparative Study on the Pozzolanic Activity between Nano-SiO_2 and Silica Fume

The pozzolanic activity of nano-SiO2 and silica fume was comparatirely stndied by X-ray diffraction （ XRD ） , differential scanning calorimetry （DSC）, scanning electron micrascopy （SEM） and the compressive , bond and bending streugths of hardened paste and concrete were also measured. Results indicate that the compressive strength development of the paste made from Ca（OH）2 and nano-SiO2, the reaction rate of Ca（ OH）2 with nano- SiO2 and the velocity of C-S-H gel formation from Ca （ OH）2 with nano-SiO2 showed marked increases over those of Ca（ OH）2 with silica fume. Furthermore, the bond strength at the interface between aggregate and hardened cement paste, and the bending strength of concrete incorporated with 3% .NS increased more than those with SF, especially at early ages. To sum up, the pozzolanic activity of nano-SiO2 was much greater than that of silica fume. The results suggest that with a small amount of nano-SiO2, the Ca（ OH）2 crystal at the interface between hardened cement paste and aggregate at early ages may be effectively absorbed in high performance concrete.

Effect of silica fume on the fresh and hardened properties of fly ash-based self-compacting geopolymer concrete

The effect of silica fume on the fresh and hardened properties of fly ash-based self-compacting geopolymer concrete （SCGC） was investigated in this paper. The work focused on the concrete mixes with a fixed water-to-geopolymer solid （W/Gs） ratio of 0.33 by mass and a constant total binder content of 400 kg/m3. The mass fractions of silica fume that replaced fly ash in this research were 0wt%, 5wt%, 10wt%, and 15wt%. The workability-related fresh properties of SCGC were assessed through slump flow, V-funnel, and L-box test methods. Hardened concrete tests were limited to compressive, splitting tensile and flexural strengths, all of which were measured at the age of 1, 7, and 28 d after 48-h oven curing. The results indicate that the addition of silica fume as a partial replacement of fly ash results in the loss of workability; nevertheless, the mechanical properties of hardened SCGC are significantly improved by incorporating silica fume, especially up to 10wt%. Applying this percentage of silica fume results in 4.3% reduction in the slump flow; however, it increases the compressive strength by 6.9%, tensile strength by 12.8% and flexural strength by 11.5%.

Influence of Fly Ash and Silica Fume on Water-resistant Property of Magnesium Oxychloride Cement

By incorporation of fly ash or silica fume into magnesium oxychloride （MOC） cement, a high water resistance material can be formed for successful industrial applications. The influences of fly ash and silica fume on water-resistant property were investigated by SEM and EDS. It is found that the incorporation of fly ash or silica fume can improve the water-resistance of the MOC. The improvement of the water resistance of the MOC incorporated with fly ash or silica fume may be attributed to the alumino-silicate 5·1·8 gel or silicate 5·1·8 gel.

Analysis of the Damping Behavior and Microstructure of Cement Matrix with Silane-treated Silica Fume

The surface treatment of silca fume with silane coupling agent prior w incorporation in a cement mortar resulted in composites exhibiting increuses in loss tangent by 5%-200% and storage modulus by 10%-20% , relative to the value obtained by using as-received silica fume. The scanning electron microscopy （SEM） images iindicate that there is a morphological difference in the cement paste with treated and as-received silica fume, The, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, infrared （IR） spectrum analyses and mercury intrusion porosimetry （ MIP ） have provided evidence to understand the reaction mechanism between treated silica .fume and the hydrate product of cement. This has led to the establishment of an initial microscopic model describing the damping behavior of cement matrix.

THE PROPERTIES OF SILICA FUME-MAGNESIUM OXYCHLORIDE CEMENT MATERIALS

The properties of a new magnesium Oxychloride cement (MOC) material formed by silica fume uniformly mix in MOC paste was presents. The influence of silica fume on the water resistance and compressive strength of MOC paste was invesigated in this study. It is shown that when 30 weight percent of silica fume is added to the MOC paste, a high strength and water resisting new material with 112MPa compressive strength and 1 00 water resisting coefficient could by obtained.

Effect of Silica Fume on Compressive Strength of Oil-Polluted Concrete in Different Marine Environments

In the present research, effect of silica fume as an additive and oil polluted sands as aggregates on compressive strength of concrete were investigated experimentally. The amount ofoil in the designed mixtures was assumed to be constant and equal to 2% of the sand weight. Silica fume accounting for 10%, 15% and 20% of the weight is added to the designed mixture. After preparation and curing, concrete specimens were placed into the three different conditions： fresh, brackish and saltwater environments （submerged in fresh water, alternation of exposed in air ＆ submerged in sea water and submerged in sea water）. The result of compressive strength tests shows that the compressive strength of the specimens consisting of silica fume increases significantly in comparison with the control specimens in all three environments. The compressive strength of the concrete with 15% silica fume content was about 30% to 50% higher than that of control specimens in all tested environments under the condition of using polluted aggregates in the designed mixture.

Packing Density Improvement through Addition of Limestone Fines, Superfine Cement and Condensed Silica Fume

Adoption of a low water/powder (W/P) ratio is the key to improve the strength and durability of concrete, which relies on a high packing density because fresh concrete requires excess water to offer flowability. To obtain a high packing density, powders with different particle sizes, including limestone fines (LSF), superfine cement (SFC), condensed silica fume (CSF), were added to the cement paste and the resulting packing densities were measured directly by a newly-developed wet packing test. Results demonstrated that addition of powders with a finer size would more significantly improve the packing density but the powders should be at least as fine as 1/4 of the OPC to effectively improve the packing density. Packing density and voids ratio relationship showed that a small increase in packing density can significantly decrease the voids ratio, which could allow the W/P ratio to be reduced to improve the strength and durability of the concrete without compromising the flowability.

Effect of Silica Fume on the Thaumasite Form of Sulfate Attack on Cement-based Materials

Thaumasite form of sulfate attack（TSA） can be observed in cement containing limestone under sulfate condition at low temperature. Mixing with suitable mineral admixture could be a good choice to improve the TSA resistance performance of cement-based materials. We investigated the durability performance of limestone-cement mortars reinforced with silica fume（SF） in 5% MgSO_4 solution at 5 ℃. The mortars, which were immersed in aggressive condition, were prepared with 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% cement replacement by SF at a fixed water-to-binder ratio. Appearance, compressive strength, change of length and mass and corrosion products were investigated to evaluate the TSA resistance performance of SF based specimens. The results showed that specimens in the absence of SF almost disintegrated. Increasing SF dosage can reduce the degree of deterioration of SF mortars in TSA environment. Mortar mixtures with more than 6% SF merely show slight degeneration in relation to macroscopic and microscopic tests and characterizations.

Hydration Mechanism of Silica Fume- sulphoaluminate Cement

Setting time and strength of sulphoaluminate rapid hardening cement （SAC） incorporated in the presence and absence of silica fume （SF） were determined. Combined with the techniques of＂ isothermal calorimeter, XRD and FSEM, the hydration kinetics of the two systems and the effect mechanism of SF on SAC were investigated. The experimental results showed that SF was proved to be beneficial for SAC system, in terms of setting time and late strength gain. Evidence of accelerator effect of silica fume was found during the first 8 hours of hydration. The formation of AFt was accelerated and the microstructure of the hydration products grew denser with incorporation of SF. SF was proved to play the role of dispersion and setting control at early age and had a greater contribution to later strength due to the increment of crystal nucleation point and the pozzolanic activity. Therefore, SF can be used to not only control the hydration kinetics of SAC, but also develop the late strength and improve the microstructure.

Effect of Fly Ash and Silica Fume on Hydration Rate of Cement Pastes and Strength of Mortars

The effect of fly ash and silica fume on hydration rate and strength of cement in the early stage was studied. Contrast test was applied to the complex cementitious system to investigate the hydration rate. Combined with mechanical strength, the influence of fly ash and silica fume during the hydration process of complex binder was researched. The peak of the rate of hydration heat evolution and the mechanical strength decreased as the ratio of fly ash increased, however, as the ratio of silica fume increased, the peak of the rate of hydration heat evolution and the mechanical strength increased obviously. When the ratios of fly ash and silica fume are 10% and 5%, the peak of the rate of hydration heat evolution is the highest. At the same time 7 days of flexural and compressive strength are the highest as 8.89 MPa and 46.52 MPa, respectively. Fly ash and silica fume are the main factors affecting the hydration rate and the mechanical property.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Poly (Vinyl Chloride) Modified by Silica Fume /Acrylic Core-Shell Impact Modifier Blends

This research explored replacing acrylic core-shell impact modifier （AIM） by silica fume to toughen PVC. 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% of AIM （8 phr） were substituted by silica fume in PVC respectively, and then processed by dry blending and twin-screw extrusion. Severe silica fume agglomeration was observed by scanning electron microscope （SEM） in the PVC matrix when 8 phr pure silica fume was used and processed by screw speed of 20 rpm. Its tensile strength was thereby reduced by 38% comparing to unmodified PVC. The silica fume was successfully dispersed while the screw speed was slowed down to 10 rpm to give a stronger screw torque and a longer melt residential time in the extruder. The tensile strength was ’recovered’ to a level comparable to unmodified PVC. Impact test were performed on all formulations extruded at 10 rpm screw speed and synergetic toughening effect was found with 50% substitution and it had the impact strength that was comparable to 8 phr pure AIM toughened PVC.