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- Tile calculation: scientists have reduced the cost of manufacturing sidewalks and curbs
Tile calculation: scientists have reduced the cost of manufacturing sidewalks and curbs
Scientists from Perm conducted tests of polymer structures from a solution with the addition of a filler based on pulp and paper waste. The use of additives reduces the cost of production of paving slabs, curbs and other products by 10%. Experts believe that the new material is promising in terms of environmental friendliness, but the development team needs to take into account economic aspects when bringing the technology from the laboratory to industrial production.
How to reduce the cost of paving slabs
Specialists of the Perm Pulp and Paper Company (PCBC) branch research Center, together with the Laboratory of Structural Materials at the Faculty of Civil Engineering of Perm National Research Polytechnic University (PNRPU), conducted tests of polymer products with the addition of filler based on pulp and paper products.
During the research, industrial samples of polymer fittings (connections for water and sewer pipes) and polymer-sanded slabs for sidewalks were tested.
— We used a product obtained by one of the methods of cooking cellulose — lignosulfonate (LST). Its addition made it possible to reduce the cost of the initial mixture. In addition, LST acts as a plasticizer — it allows the solution to remain plastic a little longer and fill the mold better," Vladimir Kucherov, chief technologist at PCBC, told Izvestia.
The main focus was on the parameters of compressive and flexural strength. The test results confirmed that the introduction of filler does not worsen the strength characteristics of polymer fittings — they remain within the limits set by the manufacturer. At the same time, the use of additives reduces the cost of production by 10%, which makes products more accessible to consumers.
— The component will allow those who start using it to be more competitive. These are the construction and production of polymers from recyclables, the manufacture of goods for landscaping," said Vladimir Kucherov.
The next stage will be the testing of an industrial sample of polymer containers. Also, in May 2025, it is planned to measure the strength of a polymer-sanded plate without filler to compare characteristics. The introduction of the new technology will allow us to offer more cost-effective solutions to the market without loss of quality, the researchers noted.
Polymer-sanded slabs are used to cover sidewalks and urban areas, arrange paths in suburban areas, temporary coverings in hard-to-reach areas, for example, in a forest belt on plots.
Prospects for the application of the new material
The development of polymer products with pulp and paper filler has high prospects, Ilya Arkhipov, an expert at Boiling Points Krasnoyarsk, Candidate of Technical Sciences, associate professor at Siberian Federal University, told Izvestia. Reducing the cost by 10% while maintaining the strength characteristics makes the material extremely attractive for the construction industry, especially in the segment of urban landscaping, sidewalks and garden paths.
— It is also important to note the environmental component: the use of pulp and paper waste contributes to sustainable development and reduction of the carbon footprint. In addition to construction, such composites can be used in the production of polymer containers, engineering products, as well as small architectural forms," the specialist said.
Polymers with pulp and paper fillers have high potential due to global trends: the transition to green technologies, stricter environmental standards and an increase in demand for recyclable materials, said Polina Kharlamova, a trusted NTI expert and head of acceleration programs in the road construction industry.
— The development team needs to take into account the economic aspects when transferring technology from the laboratory to industrial production: whether the introduction of a new ingredient would be economically feasible, taking into account changes in the technological process, formulations, the cost of industrial volumes of pulp, the availability of this raw material, and the cost of production conversion, — she commented on the development.
The remnants of the pulp and paper industry are better used for the production of cardboard, wrapping paper, chipboard, fiberboard and other materials than poured into cement, says Vyacheslav Bogachev, head of the laboratory at the NTI Center for Digital Materials Science: New Materials and Substances at the Bauman Moscow State Technical University. There, under the influence of moisture, the material will decompose, thereby forming pores and cracks that will act as stress concentrators in the future, the expert concluded.
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