Strong and durable bricks containing coal-derived char

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to composition, such as a pyrolysis char brick (PCB), and methods of forming PCB. In one embodiment, the composition includes about 40% to about 50% cementitious material, about 40% to about 60% pyrolysis char (PC), water, about 1.0% to about 1.5% superplasticizers, and about 4% to about 5% silica fume. In another embodiment, the composition includes cementitious material, pyrolysis char (PC), water, superplasticizers, silica fume, and about 0.1% to about 2% fiber materials. In another embodiment, the composition includes cementitious material, pyrolysis char (PC), water, superplasticizers, silica fume, and about 0.1% to about 1% nanoparticles.

Description

STRONG AND DURABLE BRICKS CONTAINING COAL-DERIVED CHARBACKGROUNDField

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to structural materials. In particular, the disclosure relates to pyrolysis char bricks (PCB) and methods of fabricating PCBs using coal-derived pyrolysis char (PC).Description of Related Art

[0002] Coal currently serves an important role as an energy source, but the increasing demand for renewable energy has reduced the production and consumption of coal in the United States of America (USA). Coal is carbon-rich, and its use in energy generation may affect atmospheric CO2 levels. The air pollution and global environmental issues associated with the combustion of coal have limited the continuous application of coal in energy production. Specifically, according to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), global warming that results from various greenhouse gas emissions is partly due to fossil fuel burning, such as the combustion of coal.

[0003] Wyoming Powder River Basin (PRB) coal plays an important role in the Wyoming energy industry as well as different parts of the United States and the world more generally. However, renewable energy is slowly replacing the coal industry, causing the market price of coal to drop. Thus, to attract new investment through technological innovation and support coal mine operations, environmentally friendly methods to create new diversified coal products are needed. However, cement production may be harmful to the environment. Carbon dioxide emission from cement production contribute to approximately 8-10% of global CO2 emissions.

[0004] In addition, ordinary cement-based materials, such as those materials made from ordinary Portland cement, are generally brittle and have poor tensile and flexural properties. To improve the strength of cementitious materials and to delay the onset of microcracks and flexural cracks, conventional technologies utilize steel reinforcementbars, nanoscale fibers, and carbon nanotubes. However, microcracking and flexural cracking persist even with such conventional technologies.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for improved bricks and methods of fabricating bricks using coal-derived pyrolysis char (PC).SUMMARY

[0006] In one embodiment, a composition is disclosed. The composition includes about 40% to about 50% cementitious material, about 40% to about 60% pyrolysis char (PC), water, about 1.0% to about 1.5% superplasticizers, and about 4% to about 5% silica fume.

[0007] In another embodiment, a pyrolysis char brick (PCB) is disclosed. The PCB includes cementitious material, pyrolysis char (PC), water, superplasticizers, silica fume, and about 0.1% to about 2% fiber materials.

[0008] In another embodiment, a composition is disclosed. The composition includes cementitious material, pyrolysis char (PC), water, superplasticizers, silica fume, and about 0.1% to about 1% nanoparticles.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present disclosure can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the disclosure, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only exemplary embodiments and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, and may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

[0010] Figure l is a flow diagram of a method of forming a composition, according to embodiments.

[0011] Figure 2 is a graph of the density of the cubic brick specimens for nanoparticles, according to embodiments.

[0012] Figure 3 is a graph of the density of cubic brick specimens with fibers, according to embodiments.

[0013] Figure 4 is a graph of the compressive strength of cubic brick specimens with nanoparticles, according to embodiments.

[0014] Figure 5 is a graph of the compressive strength of cubic brick specimens with fibers, according to embodiments.

[0015] Figure 6 is a graph of the thermal conductivity of cubic brick specimens with nanoparticles, according to embodiments.

[0016] Figure 7 is a graph of the thermal conductivity of cubic brick specimens with fibers, according to embodiments.

[0017] Figure 8 is a graph of the density of the brick specimens, according to embodiments.

[0018] Figure 9 is a graph of the compressive strength of the brick specimens, according to embodiments.

[0019] Figure 10 is a graph of the flexural strength of the brick specimens, according to embodiments.

[0020] Figure 11 is a graph of the water absorption of the brick specimens, according to embodiments.

[0021] Figure 12 is a graph of the saturation coefficient of the brick specimens, according to embodiments.

[0022] Figure 13 is a graph of the thermogravimetric / differential thermal analysis (TG / DTA) of the brick specimens cured at 28 days, according to embodiments.

[0023] Figure 14 is a graph of the X-ray diffraction of the brick specimens, according to embodiments.

[0024] Figure 15A is a micrograph of the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the C50-0-b brick specimens, according to embodiments.

[0025] Figure 15B is a micrograph of the SEM of the C50-NS-2-b brick specimens, according to embodiments.

[0026] Figure 15C is a micrograph of the SEM of the C50-GF-2-b brick specimens, according to embodiments.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to structural materials. In particular, the disclosure relates to pyrolysis char bricks (PCB) and methods of fabricating PCBs using coal-derived pyrolysis char (PC).

[0028] The inventors have found new and improved methods for fabricating pyrolysis char bricks (PCB) from coal-derived pyrolysis char (PC). Briefly, raw coal is thermo-chemically converted to produce PC. The resulting PC is then converted into materials such as pyrolysis char brick (PCB).

[0029] The desire for environmentally-friendly materials, energy savings, and reduced energy consumption in building materials can be addressed by the building materials described herein. Bricks made with PC have increased compressive strength, improved water absorption and saturation coefficient, improved freeze-thaw and durability performance, and decreased thermal conductivity when compared to conventional bricks.

[0030] The use of heading is for purposes of convenience and does not limit the scope of the present disclosure. Embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0031] As used herein “composition” can include component(s) of the composition, reaction product(s) of two or more components of the composition, a remainder balance of remaining starting component(s), or combinations thereof. Compositions of the present disclosure can be prepare by suitable mixing process.COMPOSITIONS

[0032] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to structural materials. In particular, the disclosure relates to pyrolysis char bricks (PCB) and methods of fabricating PCBs using coal-derived pyrolysis char (PC).

[0033] A composition (e.g., a PCB mixture) includes cementitious material, pyrolysis char (PC), water, superplasticizers, and silica fume. In some embodiments, the composition further includes nanoparticles (e.g., nano-alumina or nano-silica) and / or fiber materials (e.g., carbon fiber or glass fiber). The water, superplasticizer, silica fume, and, in some embodiments, the nanoparticles, when mixed together, form a wet mixture. The cementitious material and PC and, in some embodiments, the fiber materials, when mixed together, form a dry mixture. The wet mixture and dry mixture are mixed to form a PCB mixture. The water to cement (w / c) ratio of the PCB mixture is about 0.8. The PCB mixture, when cured, forms the PCB.

[0034] The cementitious material includes ordinary Portland cement (Type I, Type II, Type III, Type IV, Type V), slag cement, slag-modified Portland cement, expansive cement, white cement, water-repellant cement, masonry cement Type N or Type S, cement lime (CL) type S, mortar cement, oil well cement, plastic cement, rapid setting cement, Portland blast-furnace slag cement, Portland-pozzolans cement, and pozzolans-modified Portland cement, or combinations thereof. Other types of cement are contemplated. In some embodiments, the cementitious materials may include ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), fly ash (e.g., Class C fly ash), ground limestone, silica fume, and combinations thereof. The specific gravity of the cement is about 3.15 in accordance with ASTM C 188. The cementitious materials are about 40% to about 50% of the total composition, such as about 42% to about 45% of the composition.

[0035] The composition includes about 4% to about 5% silica fume (SF), such as about 4.2 to about 4.5% SF. The SF is an amorphous micronized grey silicon dioxide pozzolan.

[0036] In some embodiments, the composition includes about 0.1% to about 2% fiber materials. The fiber materials may include glass fibers, carbon fibers, or a combination thereof. The glass fibers includes fiberglass concrete fibers of about 0.75” in length with a tensile strength of 3.5 GPa. The carbon fiber includes fibers of about 0.25” with a tensile strength of 4.9 GPa.

[0037] In some embodiments, the composition includes about 0.1% to about 1% nanoparticles. The nanoparticles include nano-alumina, nano-silica, or a combination thereof. The nano-alumina powder has a particle size of about 10 nm to about 15 nm. The nano-silica power has a particle size of about 17 nm to about 23 nm, such as about 20 nm.

[0038] The composition includes about 1.0% to about 1.5% superplasticizer (SP), such as about 1.2% SP. The SP may include BASF Melflux in light yellowish powder.

[0039] The PC utilized for the PC specimens was derived from coal materials. The PC is about 40% to about 60% of the composition, such as about 50% of the composition. The coal materials are produced from the Powder River Basin (PRB) coal, which is classified as sub-bituminous coal. In some embodiments, the PC is chemically processed from the Powder River Basin (PRB) coal, Wyoming. Despite having a low thermal content, PRB coal can have a low sulfur content and high carbon content. These PC is added in a brick to, for example, improve its engineering properties including compressive strength, flexural strength, and thermal conductivity. The coal material is pyrolyzed in a furnace up to a temperature of about 850°C to remove volatiles and tar and form a pyrolyzed char (PC).

[0040] The compressive strength of the composition is about 10 MPa to about 35 MPa, such as about 20 MPa. The flexural strength of the composition is about 4 MPa to about 6 MPa. The water absorption of the composition is about 2% to about 15%. The saturation coefficient is about 0.2 to about 0.3. The composition has a density of about 1.2 g / cm3to about 1.4 g / cm3. The thermal conductivity of the composition is about 0.55 W / mK to about 0.7 W / mK.

[0041] Figure 1 is a flow diagram of a method 100 of forming a composition (e.g., a PCB). In some embodiments, the compositions is formed in accordance with ASTM C305-20 for preparing conventional mortar. At operation 101, water, superplasticizers, silica fume, and, in some embodiments, nanoparticles are mixed to form a wet mixture. The water, superplasticizers, silica fume, and, in some embodiments, nanoparticles are mixed for about 3 minutes to about 7 minutes, such as about 5 minutes.

[0042] At operation 102, the PC, cementitious materials, and, in some embodiments, the fibers are mixed to form a dry mixture. The PC, cementitious materials, and, in some embodiments, the fibers are mixed for about 1 minute to about 5 minutes, such as about 3 minutes.

[0043] At operation 103, the dry mixture is mixed with the wet mixture to form a PCB mixture. The dry mixture and wet mixture are mixed for about 3 minutes to about 7 minutes, such as about 5 minutes.

[0044] At operation 104, the PCB mixture is transferred to a mold. The mold may be a cubic shape, a brick shape, or a half-brick shape.

[0045] At operations 105, the PCB mixture in the mold is pressed. The PCB mixture is pressed in the mold at a pressure of 4 MPa to about 10 MPa.

[0046] At operation 106, the PCB mixture is primary cured to form a pyrolysis char brick (PCB). The molds may be covered with a plastic membrane during primary curing to prevent moisture loss. The primary curing may occur from 12 to 36 hours, such as about 24 hours.

[0047] At operation 107, the PCB is secondary cured. The secondary curing occurs in a wet room at a temperature of about 12°C to about 36°C, such as about 24°C, at a relative humidity of about 95%. The PCB is cured for about 1 day to about 60 days, such as about 7 days, 14 days, or 28 days.

[0048] At optional operation 108, the PCH is treated with ethylene glycol. The PCB are submerged in hydrophobic liquid under vacuum pressure for 12 hours to about36 hours, such as about 24 hours. The PCBs are removed and air-dried for about 12 hours to about 36 hours, such as about 24 hours. The hydrophobic liquid may include BEHR PREMIUM Concrete & Masonry Protector & Waterproofer with pH ranging from 7-10 and density of 0.99 g / cm3is used as a hydrophobic coating liquid for durability tests.EXAMPLESTest Methods

[0049] The density and compressive strength of brick cubic specimens are measured in accordance with ASTM C67 / C67M-21.

[0050] Thermal conductivity of brick cubic specimens is measure using Hot Disk Thermal Constants Analyzer (Hot Disk TPS 1500) in accordance with ISO 22007- 2:2023.

[0051] The density, compressive strength, flexural strength, water absorption, and freeze-thaw of brick specimens are measured in accordance with ASTM C67 / C67M- 21.

[0052] Brick specimens are crushed into small particles, sieved through ASTM #200 (75 pm) sieve and oven-dried at 60°C for 24 hours prior thermogravimetric / differential thermal analysis (TG / DTA), x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

[0053] TD / DTA is performed using TA Instruments Q500 equipment. The temperature is increased from room temperature to 950°C with a ramp rate of 10°C / min in an inert gas (argon) environment.

[0054] XRD is performed using a Rigaku SmartLab diffractometer, operated at 40kV and 40mA, with an angle of reflection (29) ranging from 5° to 60°.

[0055] SEM is performed using an FEI Quanta 250 SEM equipment to detect secondary electrons. Small flat PCB particles with a diameter < 5mm after 28 days of curing are selected for SEM analysis.

[0056] Laboratory grade ethylene glycol from Lab Alley Essential Chemicals with 99% purity, pH ranging from 5.5-7.5, and density of 1.113 g / cm3is used for the ethylene glycol treatment method.EXPERIMENTALExperiment 1

[0057] Table 1 is a summary of the mixture design of cubic brick specimens. The brick specimens include a control brick (C50-0), a 1% nano-alumina to cement specimen (C50-NA-1), a 2% nano-alumina to cement specimen (C50-NA-2), a 4% nano-alumina to cement specimen (C50-NA-3), a 1% nano-silica to cement specimen (C50-NS-1), a 2% nano-silica to cement specimen (C50-NS-2), a 4% nano-silica to cement specimen (C50-NS-3), a 0.5% carbon fiber to cement specimen (C50-CF-1), a 1% carbon fiber to cement specimen (C50-CF-2), a 2% carbon fiber to cement specimen (C50-CF-3), a 0.5% glass fiber to cement specimen (C50-GF-1), a 1% glass fiber to cement specimen (C50-GF-2), a 2% glass fiber to cement specimen (C50-GF- 3).Table 1. Summary of Mixture Design of Cubic Brick Specimens.

[0058] Figure 2 is a graph of the density of the cubic brick specimens for nanoparticles. As the curing time increases from 7 days to 28 days, the density of the cubic specimens decreases. For brick specimens including nanoparticles, the C50-NA- 3 and C50-NS-2 specimens had the highest density at 7 days of 1.39 g / cm3, which is an increase of 2.96% from the control brick. At 28 days, the C50-NA-3 has the highest density of 1.38 g / cm3, which is an increase of 6.15% over the control brick. For brick specimens with nano-alumina, the density increases with the increase in nano-alumina content, whereas with nano-silica, the density increases from 1% to 2% nano-silica content, but decreases from 2% to 4% nano-silica content.

[0059] Figure 3 is a graph of the density of cubic brick specimens with fibers. For brick specimens with fibers, the C50-GF-2 has the highest density of 1.38 g / cm3at 7 days and 1.34 g / cm3at 28 days, which is an increase of 2.22% and 3.08%, respectively, compared to the control specimen. For both carbon and glass fibers, the fiber content of 1% by volume of cement has the highest density at both 7 and 28 days.

[0060] Figure 4 is a graph of the compressive strength of cubic brick specimens with nanoparticles. The C50-NA-2 at 7 days of curing and C50-NS-2 at 28 days had the highest compressive strength of the nanoparticle brick specimens. The C50-NA-2 at 7 days had a compressive strength of 17.8 MPa and the C50-NS-2 at 28 days had a compressive strength of 23.2 MPa, which is 37.98 and 25.4% higher than the control brick. For nano-alumina, C50-NA-3 had the highest strength, while for nano-silica, the C50-NS-2 had the highest strength.

[0061] Figure 5 is a graph of the compressive strength of cubic brick specimens with fibers. At both 7 and 28 days of curing, C50-GF-2 had the highest compressive strength of about 15.5 MPa and 22.1 MPa, respectively, which is an increase of 20.16% and 19.45%, respectively, over the control brick. For carbon fiber specimens, the C50- CF-3 specimen has the highest strength of 14.4 MPa at 7 days and C50-CF-2 has the highest strength of 28 days of 20.4 MPa. The C50-GF-2 has the highest strength at both curing times.

[0062] Figure 6 is a graph of the thermal conductivity of cubic brick specimens with nanoparticles. The C50-NS-3 specimen at 7 days of curing has the lowest thermal conductivity of 0.673 W.mK, which is a decrease of 2.46% over the control brick. After 28 days of curing, the control brick has a thermal conductivity of 0.588 W.mK. All specimens showed a decrease in thermal conductivity as the curing time increased from 7 days to 28 days.

[0063] Figure 7 is a graph of the thermal conductivity of cubic brick specimens with fibers. At 7 days of curing the C50-CF-3 specimen has the lowest thermal conductivity of 0.659 W / mK, which is a decrease of 4.49 over the control brick. After 28 days, the thermal conductivity of the control brick is approximately equal to the C50-CF-3 specimen, which has 0.589 W / mK. As with the nanoparticle specimens, thermal conductivity decrease as the curing time increases.Experiment 2

[0064] Table 2 is a summary of the mixture design of brick specimens. The brick specimens include a control brick (C50-0-b), 2% nano-silica to cement specimen (C50- NS-2-b), and 1% glass fiber to cement specimen (C50-GF-2-b). The water to cement ratio of the brick specimens is 0.75.Table 2. Summary of the Mixture Design of Brick Specimens.

[0065] Figure 8 is a graph of the density of the brick specimens. The density of the brick specimens range from 1.38 to 1.43 g / cm3, with the C50-GF-2-b specimen having the highest density of 1.43 g / cm3at 7 days of curing. After 28 days, there is a decreasein density for each specimen. The C50-GF-2-b specimen maintained the highest density at 1.41 g / cm3at 28 days of curing.

[0066] Figure 9 is a graph of the compressive strength of the brick specimens. The 7 days cured bricks for the control brick, the C50-NS-2-b, and C50-GF-2-b specimens were 24.4 MPa, 25 MPa, and 26.1 MPa. After 28 days of curing, the strength of each specimen increases, with C50-NS-2-b having the highest compressive strength at 33.7 MPa, which is 11.96% greater than the control brick. The C50-GF-2-b has a compressive strength of 32.4 MPa, 7.64% greater than the strength of the control brick. According to ASTM C62-17, a clay brick needs to have a minimum compressive strength of 20.7 MPa for severe weathering (SW) grade. All PCBs had a compressive strength greater than the requirements of the ASTM standard.

[0067] Figure 10 is a graph of the flexural strength of the brick specimens. The flexural strength of all brick specimens increases as the curing time increases from 7 days to 28 days. The control brick had the highest flexural strength among the specimens after 28 days with 5.62 MPa. The glass fiber does not significantly affect the flexural strength of the PCB with the strength being 5.52 MPa after 28 days, which is similar to the control brick. Nano-silica PCBs had a strength of 4.95 MPa after 28 days, which is about 11.92% compared to the control.

[0068] Figure 11 is a graph of the water absorption of the brick specimens. The C50-NS-2-b specimen has the lowest water absorption of 1.6% after 24 hours of cold water absorption, which is 44.83% lower than the water absorption of the control brick. The C50-GF-2-b specimen has a cold water absorption of 2.6%, which is 10.34% lower than the control brick. After 5 hours of boiling water test, the water absorption of C50- GF-2-b increases to 11.3%. The control brick has the lowest absorption of 4.6% after the boiling water test. All brick specimens had a water absorption lower than the ASTM C62-17 requirement of maximum water absorption for Grade SW, which is 17%.

[0069] Figure 12 is a graph of the saturation coefficient of the brick specimens. The C50-GF-2-b has the lowest saturation coefficient of 0.24, which is 63.63% less than the control brick. C50-NS-2-b has a similar coefficient of 0.27. All the brick specimenshave a saturation coefficient less than 0.78, which is the ASTM C62-17 standard for a maximum saturation coefficient.

[0070] Table 3 shows the results of the freeze-thaw cycle for the brick specimens. The addition of nano-silica and glass fiber increased the number of cycles completed before cracking compared to the control brick. To improve durability, the C50-0-b specimens were treated with a hydrophobic liquid (e.g., ethylene glycol), which were able to complete the 50 cycles without forming cracks with a weight loss of 2.3%.Table 3. Results of Freeze Thaw Cycle for Brick Specimens.

[0071] Figure 13 is a graph of the thermogravimetric / differential thermal analysis (TG / DTA) of the brick specimens cured at 28 days. Table 4 shows the composition of bricks determined by the TG analysis. Three peaks are observed for all specimens showing the dehydration of cement hydration products (ettringite, CSH, etc.) at 60°C- 350°C, dehydroxylation of portlandite at 400°C-500°C, and decarbonation of calcite at 600°C-800°C. The highest peak corresponded to the dehydration temperature for all brick specimens. The bound water content is highest for the control brick at 9.74%. The portlandite content is similar between the control brick and the C50-NS-2-b specimen, at 7.75% and 7.74%, respectively. The calcite content is highest in the C50- NS-2-b specimen, with 14.75%, which is 12.25% more that the control brick. The higher calcite may be due to the addition of nano-silica, which supports the higher compressive strength on the C50-NS-2-b specimen.Table 4. The Composition of Bricks Determined by the TG Analysis.

[0072] Figure 14 is a graph of the X-ray diffraction of the brick specimens. Common hydration products, e.g., ettringite and portlandite, are observed in all brick specimens. The presence of calcite is also detected in all brick specimens. Quartz is detected in the PCB specimens, which may be due to the presence of PC. Typical peaks for anhydrous cement products, e.g. alite and belite, are observed. The peak intensity for portlandite (29 = 34.2°) is higher than the C5-NS-2-b specimen than the other brick specimens.

[0073] Figure 15 A is a micrograph of the scanning electron microscopy of the C50- 0-b brick specimens. Figure 15B is a micrograph of the SEM of the C50-NS-2-b brick specimens. Figure 15C is a micrograph of the SEM of the C50-GF-2-b brick specimens. Hydration products, such as ettringite and CSH gel, and PC can be seen in the micrographs. The C50-0-b specimen shows PC filled with only a few amounts of hydration product, showing the higher porous structure of PC. The C50-NS-2-b specimen shows the presence of abundant hydration product among the PC, resulting in a dense structure. The C50-GF-2-b specimen shows the PC, the hydration products, and the glass fiber.

[0074] In summation, PCBs fabricated with about 50% PC content, as well as glass particles or nanoparticles, had improved materials properties over conventional clay bricks. The addition of nano-particles in cubic PCB specimens increases the density for PCB specimens for 28 days, whereas the 28 day density increases only for C50-GF- 2 in the case of fiber PCBs. The compressive strength of cubic PCB specimens increases with the addition of nano-particles. The C50-NS-2 specimen had the higheststrength of 23.2 MPa at 28 days of during time. The addition of fibers has variable effects on the cubic brick specimens. The 28 day compressive strength increase with the addition of 1% and 2% carbon fiber and 2% glass fiber. The 2% glass fiber brick specimen had the highest compressive strength of 22.1 MPa. The thermal conductivity of the cubic brick specimens increases with the addition of both nano-particles and fibers at all contents at 28 days of curing. The density of PCB increases with the addition of 2% nano-silica and 1% glass fiber for both 7 days and 28 days of curing. The compressive strength of brick specimens increases with the addition of nano-silica and glass fiber. The nano-silica PCB specimen has the highest strength of 33.7 MPA after 28 days of curing. The glass fiber PCB specimen had a compressive strength of 32.4 MPa. The compressive strengths of all bricks were higher than the ASTM requirement of 207 MPa for Grade SW of traditional clay bricks. The cold water absorption decreases with the addition of both nano-silica and glass fiber, with nano- silica having the least water absorption. All PCBs had a boiling water absorption less than the requirement of the ASTM standard. The saturation coefficient of the PCBs decreases with the addition of nano-silica and glass fiber. The addition of glass fiber has the lowest saturation coefficient of 0.24. All PCBs satisfy the ASTM standard for maximum saturation coefficient of 0.78. The addition of nano-silica and glass fiber improved the result of the freeze thaw test. The durability of the PCBs is further improved with a treatment using ethylene glycol. The TG-DTA results showed significant peaks or dehydration temperatures of 60°C to 350°C. The estimated calcite content is increased by 12.5% with the addition of nano-silica compared to the control brick. XRD patterns show the presence of hydration products, such as ettringite and portlandite, as well as some anhydrous products like alite and belite. The presence of calcite is also detected. SEM micrographs show PC along with hydration products with ettringite and CSH gel, along with glass fiber.EMBODIMENTS LISTING

[0075] Clause 1. A composition comprising: about 40% to about 50% cementitious material;about 40% to about 60% pyrolysis char (PC); water; about 1.0% to about 1.5% superplasticizers; about 4% to about 5% silica fume.

[0076] Clause 2. The composition of clause 1, wherein the water to cement ratio is about 0.8

[0077] Clause 3. The composition of clause 1, wherein the composition has a compressive strength of about 10 MPa to about 35 MPa.

[0078] Clause 4. The composition of clause 1, wherein the composition has a flexural strength of about 4 MPa to about 6 MPa.

[0079] Clause 5. The composition of clause 1, wherein the composition has a density of about 1.2 g / cm3to about 1.4 g / cm3.

[0080] Clause 6. The composition of clause 1, wherein the composition has a water absorption of about 2% to about 15%.

[0081] Clause 7. The composition of clause 1, wherein the composition has a saturation coefficient is about 0.2 to about 0.3.

[0082] Clause 8. The composition of clause 1, wherein the composition has a thermal conductivity of the composition is about 0.55 W / mK to about 0.7 W / mK.

[0083] Clause 9. The composition of clause 1, further comprising about 0.1% to about 2% fiber materials.

[0084] Clause 10. The composition of clause 9, wherein the fiber materials comprise glass fibers, carbon fibers or a combination thereof.

[0085] Clause 11. The composition of clause 10, wherein the glass fibers comprise fiberglass concrete fibers of about 0.75” in length with a tensile strength of 3.5 GPa.

[0086] Clause 12. The composition of clause 10, wherein the carbon fibers include fibers of about 0.25” with a tensile strength of 4.9 GPa.

[0087] Clause 13. The composition of clause 1, further comprising about 0.1% to about 1% nanoparticles.

[0088] Clause 14. The composition of clause 13, wherein the nanoparticles comprise nano-alumina, nano-silica, or a combination thereof.

[0089] Clause 15. The composition of clause 14, wherein the nano-alumina has a particle size of about 10 nm to about 15 nm.

[0090] Clause 16. The composition of clause 14, wherein the nano-silica has a particle size of about 17 nm to about 23 nm, such as about 20 nm.

[0091] Clause 17. The composition of clause 1, wherein the SF comprises an amorphous micronized grey silicon dioxide pozzolan.

[0092] Clause 18. The composition of clause 1, wherein the superplasticizer comprises BASF Melflux.

[0093] Clause 19. A pyrolysis char brick (PCB) comprising: cementitious material; pyrolysis char (PC); water; superplasticizers; silica fume; and about 0.1% to about 2% fiber materials.

[0094] Clause 20. The PCB of claim 19, wherein the fiber materials comprise glass fibers, carbon fibers or a combination thereof.

[0095] Clause 21. The PCB of claim 20, wherein the glass fibers comprise fiberglass concrete fibers of about 0.75” in length with a tensile strength of 3.5 GPa.

[0096] Clause 22. The PCB of claim 20, wherein the carbon fibers include fibers of about 0.25” with a tensile strength of 4.9 GPa.

[0097] Clause 23. The PCB of claim 19, wherein the superplasticizer comprises BASF Melflux.

[0098] Clause 24. The composition of clause 19, wherein the water to cement ratio is about 0.8

[0099] Clause 25. The composition of clause 19, wherein the composition has a compressive strength of about 10 MPa to about 35 MPa.

[0100] Clause 26. The composition of clause 19, wherein the composition has a flexural strength of about 4 MPa to about 6 MPa.

[0101] Clause 27. The composition of clause 19, wherein the composition has a density of about 1.2 g / cm3to about 1.4 g / cm3.

[0102] Clause 28. The composition of clause 19, wherein the composition has a water absorption of about 2% to about 15%.

[0103] Clause 29. The composition of clause 19, wherein the composition has a saturation coefficient is about 0.2 to about 0.3.

[0104] Clause 30. The composition of clause 19, wherein the composition has a thermal conductivity of the composition is about 0.55 W / mK to about 0.7 W / mK.

[0105] Clause 31. The composition of clause 19, further comprising about 0.1% to about 1% nanoparticles.

[0106] Clause 32. The composition of clause 31, wherein the nanoparticles comprise nano-alumina, nano-silica, or a combination thereof.

[0107] Clause 33. The composition of clause 32, wherein the nano-alumina has a particle size of about 10 nm to about 15 nm.

[0108] Clause 34. The composition of clause 32, wherein the nano-silica has a particle size of about 17 nm to about 23 nm, such as about 20 nm.

[0109] Clause 35. The composition of clause 19, wherein the SF comprises an amorphous micronized grey silicon dioxide pozzolan.

[0110] Clause 36. A composition comprising: cementitious material; pyrolysis char (PC); water; superplasticizers; silica fume; and about 0.1% to about 1% nanoparticles.[OHl] Clause 37. The composition of claim 36, wherein the nanoparticles comprise nano-alumina, nano-silica, or a combination thereof.

[0112] Clause 38. The composition of claim 37, wherein the nano-alumina has a particle size of about 10 nm to about 15 nm.

[0113] Clause 39. The composition of claim 37, wherein the nano-silica has a particle size of about 17 nm to about 23 nm, such as about 20 nm.

[0114] Clause 40. The composition of claim 36, wherein the SF comprises an amorphous micronized grey silicon dioxide pozzolan.

[0115] Clause 41. The composition of clause 36, wherein the water to cement ratio is about 0.8

[0116] Clause 42. The composition of clause 36, wherein the composition has a compressive strength of about 10 MPa to about 35 MPa.

[0117] Clause 43. The composition of clause 36, wherein the composition has a flexural strength of about 4 MPa to about 6 MPa.

[0118] Clause 44. The composition of clause 36, wherein the composition has a density of about 1.2 g / cm3to about 1.4 g / cm3.

[0119] Clause 45. The composition of clause 36, wherein the composition has a water absorption of about 2% to about 15%.

[0120] Clause 46. The composition of clause 36, wherein the composition has a saturation coefficient is about 0.2 to about 0.3.

[0121] Clause 47. The composition of clause 36, wherein the composition has a thermal conductivity of the composition is about 0.55 W / mK to about 0.7 W / mK.

[0122] Clause 48. The composition of clause 36, further comprising about 0.1% to about 2% fiber materials.

[0123] Clause 49. The composition of clause 48, wherein the fiber materials comprise glass fibers, carbon fibers or a combination thereof.

[0124] Clause 50. The composition of clause 49, wherein the glass fibers comprise fiberglass concrete fibers of about 0.75” in length with a tensile strength of 3.5 GPa.

[0125] Clause 51. The composition of clause 49, wherein the carbon fibers include fibers of about 0.25” with a tensile strength of 4.9 GPa.

[0126] Clause 52. The composition of clause 36, wherein the superplasticizer comprises BASF Melflux.

[0127] Clause 53. A method of forming a pyrolysis char brick (PCB), comprising: mixing water, superplasticizers, and silica fume to form a wet mixture;mixing a PC and cementitious materials to form a dry mixture; mixing the dry mixture and the wet mixture to form a pyrolysis char brick (PCB) mixture; curing the PCB mixture to form a PCB.

[0128] Clause 54. The method of clause 53, further comprising mixing a nanoparticle with the water, superplasticizers, and silica fume to form the wet mixture.

[0129] Clause 55. The method of clause 53, wherein mixing water, superplasticizers, and silica fume is performed for about 3 minutes to about 7 minutes to form the wet mixture.

[0130] Clause 56. The method of clause 53, further comprising mixing a fiber with the PC and cementitious material to form the dry mixture.

[0131] Clause 57. The method of clause 53, wherein mixing a PC and cementitious materials is performed for about 1 minute to about 5 minutes to form a dry mixture.

[0132] Clause 58. The method of clause 53, wherein the dry mixture and the wet mixture is performed for about 3 minutes to about 7 minutes to form the PCB mixture.

[0133] Clause 59. The method of clause 53, further comprising transferring the PCB mixture to a mold.

[0134] Clause 60. The method of clause 59, wherein the mold is a cubic shape, a brick shape, or a half-brick shape.

[0135] Clause 61. The method of clause 59 or clause 60, further comprising pressing the PCB mixture in the mold.

[0136] Clause 62. The method of clause 61, wherein pressing the PCB mixture in the mold is performed at a pressure of 4 MPa to about 10 MPa.

[0137] Clause 63. The method of clauses 53 or clauses 59-62, further comprising primary curing the PCB mixture to form the PCB.

[0138] Clause 64. The method of clause 63, wherein the molds may be covered with a plastic membrane during primary curing.

[0139] Clause 65. The method of either clause 63 or clause 64, wherein the primary curing the PCB mixture is performed from about 12 to 36 hours.

[0140] Clause 66. The method of any of clause 63-65, further comprising secondary curing the PCB.

[0141] Clause 67. The method of clause 66, wherein the secondary curing is performed in a wet room at a temperature of about 12°C to about 36°C, at a relative humidity of about 95%.

[0142] Clause 68. The method of either clause 66 or clause 67, wherein the secondary curing of the PCB is performed for about 1 day to about 60 days.

[0143] Clause 69. The method of clause 53, further comprising treating the PCB with ethylene glycol.

[0144] Clause 70. The method of clause 69, wherein treating the PCB comprises submerging the PCB in hydrophobic liquid under vacuum pressure for 12 hours to about 36 hours.

[0145] Clause 71. The method of clause 70, wherein treating the PCB comprises removing and air-drying the PCB for about 12 hours to about 36 hours.

[0146] Clause 72. The method of any of clauses 69-71, wherein the hydrophobic liquid may include BEHR PREMIUM Concrete & Masonry Protector & Waterproofer with pH ranging from 7-10 and density of 0.99 g / cm3.

[0147] As is apparent from the foregoing general description and the specific aspects, while forms of the aspects have been illustrated and described, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentdisclosure. Accordingly, it is not intended that the present disclosure be limited thereby. Likewise, the term “comprising” is considered synonymous with the term “including.” Likewise whenever a composition, process operation, process operations, an element or a group of elements is preceded with the transitional phrase “comprising,” it is understood that we also contemplate the same composition or group of elements with transitional phrases “consisting essentially of,” “consisting of,” “selected from the group of consisting of,” or “Is” preceding the recitation of the composition, process operation, process operations, element, or elements and vice versa, such as the terms “comprising,” “consisting essentially of,” “consisting of’ also include the product of the combinations of elements listed after the term.

[0148] For purposes of this present disclosure, and unless otherwise specified, all numerical values within the detailed description and the claims herein are modified by “about” or “approximately” the indicated value, and consider experimental error and variations that would be expected by a person having ordinary skill in the art. For the sake of brevity, only certain ranges are explicitly disclosed herein. However, ranges from any lower limit may be combined with any upper limit to recite a range not explicitly recited, as well as, ranges from any lower limit may be combined with any other lower limit to recite a range not explicitly recited, in the same way, ranges from any upper limit may be combined with any other upper limit to recite a range not explicitly recited. For example, the recitation of the numerical range 1 to 5 includes the subranges 1 to 4, 1.5 to 4.5, 1 to 2, among other subranges. As another example, the recitation of the numerical ranges 1 to 5, such as 2 to 4, includes the subranges 1 to 4 and 2 to 5, among other subranges. Additionally, within a range includes every point or individual value between its end points even though not explicitly recited. For example, the recitation of the numerical range 1 to 5 includes the numbers 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, 5, among other numbers. Thus, every point or individual value may serve as its own lower or upper limit combined with any other point or individual value or any other lower or upper limit, to recite a range not explicitly recited.

[0149] While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof.

Claims

What is Claimed Is:

1. A composition comprising: about 40% to about 50% cementitious material; about 40% to about 60% pyrolysis char (PC); water; about 1.0% to about 1.5% superplasticizers; and about 4% to about 5% silica fume.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the water to cement ratio is about 0.

83. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a compressive strength of about 10 MPa to about 35 MPa.

4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a flexural strength of about 4 MPa to about 6 MPa.

5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a density of about 1.2 g / cm3to about 1.4 g / cm3.

6. A pyrolysis char brick (PCB) comprising: cementitious material; pyrolysis char (PC); water; superplasticizers; silica fume; and about 0.1% to about 2% fiber materials.

7. The PCB of claim 6, wherein the fiber materials comprise glass fibers, carbon fibers or a combination thereof.

8. The PCB of claim 7, wherein the glass fibers comprise fiberglass concrete fibers of about 0.75” in length with a tensile strength of 3.5 GPa.

9. The PCB of claim 7, wherein the carbon fibers include fibers of about 0.25” with a tensile strength of 4.9 GPa.

10. The PCB of claim 6, wherein the superplasticizer comprises BASF Melflux.

11. A composition comprising: cementitious material; pyrolysis char (PC); water; superplasticizers; silica fume; and about 0.1% to about 1% nanoparticles.

12. The composition of claim 11, wherein the nanoparticles comprise nanoalumina, nano-silica, or a combination thereof.

13. The composition of claim 12, wherein the nano-alumina has a particle size of about 10 nm to about 15 nm.

14. The composition of claim 12, wherein the nano-silica has a particle size of about 17 nm to about 23 nm, such as about 20 nm.

15. The composition of claim 11, SF comprises an amorphous micronized grey silicon dioxide pozzolan.

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