Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society http://dx.doi.org/10.4191/kcers.2016.53.4.435 Vol. 53, No. 4, pp. 435~443, 2016. Communication A Study on Physical Properties of Mortar Mixed with Fly-ash as Functions of Mill Types and Milling Times Sung Kwan Seo*,**, Yong Sik Chu*,†, Kwang Bo Shim**, and Jae Hyun Jeong* *Energy & Environmental Division, Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology, Jinju 52851, Korea1) **Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea2) (Received January 27, 2016; Revised May 9, July 4, 2016; Accepted July 7, 2016) ABSTRACT Coal ash, a material generated from coal-fired power plants, can be classified as fly ash and bottom ash. The amount of domes- tic fly ash generation is almost 6.84 million tons per year, while the amount of bottom ash generation is 1.51 million tons. The fly ash is commonly used as a concrete admixture and a subsidiary raw material in cement fabrication process. And some amount of bottom ash is used as a material for embankment and block. However, the recyclable amount of the ash is limited since it could cause deterioration of physical properties. In Korea, the ashes are simply mixed and used as a replacement material for cement. In this study, an attempt was made to mechanically activate the ash by grinding process in order to increase recycling rates of the fly ash. Activated fly ash was prepared by controlling the mill types and the milling times and characteristics of the mortar containing the activated fly ash was analyzed. When the ash was ground by using a vibratory mill, physical properties of the mortar mixed with such fly ash were higher than the mortar mixed with fly ash ground by a planetary mill. Key words : Fly ash, Vibratory mill, Planetary mill, EMM, Activated material, Concrete 1. Introduction than 3,000 cm2/g) for KS L 5405 fly ash (based on type 2). On the other hand, the purified fly ash is used in unground ince the industrialization in the 19th century, energy state as the fineness criterion is exceeded. However, in some S usage has been sharply increased, and the usage of fos- advanced countries such as US, etc. the purified ash is also sil fuels also tends to be increased. In addition, as environ- used after milling, in the process of which a vibratory mill, ment pollution problems due to combustion gas and coal etc. may be employed.6) For milling of the fly ash, full- ash, etc. during combustion process of fossil fuels are also pledged studies have been conducted since 1990’s, with its emerging, studies on recycling methods of the coal ash are study and utilization having occurred primarily in US, being consistently conducted.1) Europe and Canada, etc. In the latter half of 1990’s, V. M. Domestic generation of coal ash is on the level of 8.35mil- Malhotra and O. Kayali et al. have studied strength lion tons/year, about 80% of which is reported to be fly ash enhancement effects as a function of fineness of fly ash. (6.84 million tons) and 20% bottom ash (1.51 million tons).2) These authors published that strength values were rather In general, the fly ash is used as a concrete admixture, a reduced beyond a certain fineness although strength char- subsidiary raw material for cement, etc., while the bottom acteristics were improved as the fineness of fly ash was ash is used as a bank material, etc. However, not only most increased.7-8) In the early half of 2000’s, Vladimir Ronin et of bottom ash but also some flay ash is used for landfill.3-4) al. conducted studies on activation of fly ash, and claimed Accordingly, the landfill amount of coal ash is being gradu- that activation was attributable to particle defects (crack, ally increased, which is also attributed to an increase in dislocation, etc.) produced during milling process.9-10) generation of coal ash exceeding specification (unburned Although the usage of active fly ash developed by them, i.e. carbon of more than 5%) due to the use of low-grade coal.5) substitution of cement with active fly ash was on the level of In domestic mortar and concrete plants, purified and resi- 30 ~ 50%, domestic usage of fly ash is still on the level of due fly ash are used mixed, where the residue fly ash is only 10 ~ 15%. used mostly after undergoing milling process. At this time, In the present study, active fly ash for an increase in sub- fineness of the residue fly ash is controlled to 3,000 ~ stitution for cement was manufactured by using purified fly 3,500 cm2/g, which is to meet the fineness criterion (higher ash produced in the domestic N powerplant as a byproduct. To prepare active purified fly ash, each powder characteris- tics were analyzed and evaluated by diversified control of † Corresponding author : Yong Sik Chu mill types and milling times, etc. In addition, workability E-mail : [email protected] and compressive strength characteristics of the mortar Tel : +82-55-792-2463 Fax : +82-55-792-2469 mixed with fly ash as a function of milling conditions were − 435 − 436 Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society - Sung Kwan Seo et al. Vol. 53, No. 4 analyzed in an attempt to derive optimum activity condi- tion, crystalline phases and microstructures were observed tions. for hydrates of cement mixed with fly ash. 2. Experimental Procedure 3. Results and Discussion To analyze and evaluate physicochemical characteristics 3.1. Milling characteristics of fly ash of fly ash as functions of mill types and milling times, fly 3.1.1. Characteristics of unground fly ash ash produced at the thermal power plant of domestic N Fly ash produced as a byproduct in the thermal power Company was received for use. Also, as a mill to manufac- plant of domestic N Company was received for chemical ture active fly ash, a vibratory mill (WTVM, Woongbi analysis, with the analysis results shown in Table 1. Machinery, Korea) and a planetary mill (Pulverisette 5, As indicated in Table 1, SiO2 content in fly ash was 49.9% Fritsch, Germany) were employed as shown in Fig. 1. Al2O3 content 19.2%, unburned carbon content 2.64%, with Chemical composition of fly ash was analyzed by the wet small amounts of alkali components being also present. In method, particle size distribution measured by a particle general, to use the fly ash as an admixture for cement and size analyzer (LA-950V2, Horiba, Japan), crystalline phases concrete, the ignition loss for fly ash should be controlled to analyzed by X-ray diffraction analyzer (D5005D, Ziemens, be less than 5%, and the ignition loss is expressed to be Germany), and microstructure observation conducted by usable as a scale for the amount of unburned carbon accord- using a scanning electron microscope (SM300, Topcon, ing to “Guideline for quality management of remicon and Japan). In addition, a transmission electron microscope ascon (Announcement from Ministry of Land, Infrastruc- (JEM-2000EX, Jeol, Japan) was employed for microstruc- ture & Transport No. 2014-300)”. Therefore, the amount of ture observation of active powders. unburned carbon (2.64%) in Table 1 could be inferred to Also, to evaluate strength characteristics of fly ash as a show the fly ash having satisfactory quality. To check for function of mill type and time, manufacturing experiments crystalline states of fly ash, crystal phase analysis was con- for cement mortar were conducted according to “Strength ducted by using an X-ray diffraction analyzer, as shown in test method for cement (KS L ISO 679)”. For cement, OPC Fig. 2. Although the fly ash was presumed to be an amor- (Type 1 Ordinary Portland Cement) of domestic H Company phous substance showing a hollow state in the range of was used, along with KS standard sand sold domestically 15 ~ 35°, some quartz (SiO2) and mullite (3Al2O3· 2SiO2) being used as the standard sand. Here, the usage of fly ash were also observed. substituted for 10% of cement (45 g of fly ash + 405 g of Observation results for microstructure of fly ash by using OPC), and thus-prepared specimens were cured in water of a scanning electron microscope are shown in Fig. 3. As constant-temperature water tank at 21oC for 3 days, 7 days shown here in Fig. 3, the fly ash was observed as a sub- and 28 days for measurement of compressive strengths per stance of spherical shape, due to which workability is material age. Also, to analyze and evaluate workability of known to be improved by manifesting ball bearing effects mortar mixed with fly ash, flow experiment was also con- when mortar or concrete is mixed. ducted in accordance with “Compressive strength test method for hydraulic cement mortar(KS L 5105)”. In addi- Fig. 1. Various mill types. Fig. 2. XRD pattern of fly ash. Table 1. Chemical Composition of Fly-ash − Comp. SiO2 Al2O3 Fe2O3 CaO MgO Na2OK2OSO3 CCl(mg/kg) Content (%) 49.9 19.2 10.1 8.21 2.84 1.01 0.72 0.71 2.64 6.22 July 2016 A Study on Physical Properties of Mortar Mixed with Fly-ash as Functions of Mill Types and Milling Times 437 Fig. 3. Microstructure of fly ash. Table 2. Grinding Medium Characteristic with Various Mill Table 3. Mean Size of Fly Ash Types 1) Vibratory mill 3 Medium Inner volume(cm ) Milling time(min) 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 (D×H, cm) Total weight Partial weight Mean particle size(µm) 18 11.2 8.3 5.9 4.1 2.4 2.9 Planetary Ø 3 mm : 300 g 452 (8×9) 500 g mill Ø 10 mm : 200 g 2) Planetary mill Ø 26 mm : 2 kg Milling time(min) 0 2 5 10 20 Vibratory 7,693 (20×24.5) 15 kg Ø 11 mm : 8 kg Mean particle size (µm) 18 10.7 5.4 0.95 0.99 mill Ø 6 mm : 5 kg ened, although mean particle diameters were reduced with 3.1.2.