Characterization of Red Mud treated under high temperature fluidization

Red Mud (EM) is fluidized at different temperatures in a fluidized bed reactor (PER). The phase composition and structural transition of RM fluidized at different temperatures are investigated. RM is treated in the FBR at different temperatures and above minimum fluidization velocity. The characteristic properties of RM treated in FBR at different temperatures are analyzed using XRD, TGA-DTA, PSA, FESEM, FT-IR and BET apparatus. It is observed that the different components of EM decompose on treatment of high temperature. The results thus obtained from RM treated at room and at higher temperatures are found to be much more promising where the temperature required for the decomposition of certain components is much less than the conventional heating methods. It is observed that gibbsite (Al(OH)(3)) decomposes into Al2O3 & H2O and calcite decomposes into CaO and CO2 at higher temperatures. The particle size of treated RM is also analyzed where the particle size is found to increase initially and then decrease with the increase in temperature. The results obtained will thus provide an important base for the comprehensive utilization of RM for different applications. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.