Production of reactive magnesia from desalination reject brine and its use as a binder

Ruan, S., Yang, E.-H. and Unluer, C. (2021) Production of reactive magnesia from desalination reject brine and its use as a binder. Journal of CO2 Utilization, 44, 101383. (doi: 10.1016/j.jcou.2020.101383)

Abstract

This study investigated the feasibility of producing reactive MgO cement from reject brine obtained from a desalination plant and evaluated its use as a binder in comparison to a commercial MgO. The mechanical performance of the samples cured under carbonation conditions for up to 28 days were further supported by x-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis/differential scanning calorimetry (TGA/DSC) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analyses. Samples involving synthetic MgO revealed higher strengths than those with commercial MgO, in line with the higher reactivity of the former. The increased dissolution of synthetic MgO led to its enhanced hydration and carbonation, resulting in samples with denser structures and improved performances. The findings highlighted issues regarding the large-scale production of MgO from reject brine and CO2 emissions of this process. The major environmental impact was associated with the production of the alkali base (NaOH), which could be improved via the identification of sustainable alkali sources used during production. Overall, the production of MgO from reject brine can save natural resources and pave the way for the sequestration of CO2 as stable carbonates in cement-based mixes.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: The authors would like to thank Mr Fanxi Sun for his help with the experimental work. The authors also acknowledge the financial support from the Singapore MOE Academic Research Fund Tier 1 (RG 95/16) for the completion of this research project.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Unluer, Dr Cise

Creator Roles

Unluer, C.: Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Supervision, Writing – original draft, Writing – review and editing

• Authors: Ruan, S., Yang, E.-H., and Unluer, C.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Electronics and Nanoscale Engineering
• Journal Name: Journal of CO2 Utilization
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 2212-9820
• ISSN (Online): 2212-9839
• Published Online: 04 December 2020
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 Elsevier
• First Published: First published in Journal of CO2 Utilization 44:101383
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher