This project aims to develop energy-saving methods for manufacturing tiles by using geopolymerization
as an innovative processing technique. In fact, classical ceramic tiles are usually produced by sintering at
temperatures ranging between 1100-1250 °C depending on natural raw materials selected for the
mixture. Geopolymers, instead, are amorphous aluminosilicate inorganic polymers obtained by mixing
alkali-silicate solutions with reactive aluminosilicate precursors, and geopolymerization may occur at
room temperature or at temperature lower than 150 °C, and several types of waste may be used as
geopolymer precursors. The possibility to obtain geopolymer tiles with properties comparable with
those of ceramic tiles is extremely challenging, but geopolymerization would represent a huge energy-saving
in the consolidation process as well as in natural raw materials exploitation.
Valeriani, Lorenzo (2020) Geopolymers for tile industry, [Dissertation thesis], Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna. Dottorato di ricerca in Ingegneria civile, chimica, ambientale e dei materiali , 32 Ciclo. DOI 10.48676/unibo/amsdottorato/9234.