Determination of some physico-thermal and mechanical characteristics of hydrated Jordanian Lajjun oil shale ash

The hydration of oil shale ash at different water-to-ash weight (W/A) ratios ranging from 0.4 to 0.8 was experimentally investigated. The ash hydrate's physical characteristics, its particles' elemental composition, and the existing crystalline phases were identified using N2 Brunauer-Emmerich-Teller (N2-BET), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRD) measurement techniques. The formed hydration cementitious products were found to be stratlingite (2CaO center dot Al2O3 center dot SiO2 center dot 8H2O), ettringite (6CaO center dot Al2O3 center dot 3SiO3 center dot 32H2O), and melilite (2CaO center dot Al2O3 center dot SiO2) in the oil shale ash hydrated at W/A = 0.6. These same phases with different relative amounts were found in the oil shale ash hydrated at W/A = 0.8 in addition to calcium silicate hydrates (CSH). The drop in the physico-thermal properties (bulk density and thermal conductivity) of the hydrated ash was attributed to the formation of cementitious products, mainly to stratlingite, melilite, and ettringite. The hydrated ash's mechanical properties (bending and compressive strengths) were found to increase at higher W/A due to the formation of cementing materials, particularly CSH.

Automated summary

The hydration process of oil shale ash at different water-to-ash weight ratios was investigated. The physical characteristics, elemental composition of particles, and crystalline phases of the ash hydrate were identified. The hydrated ash was found to contain stratlingite, ettringite, melilite, and calcium silicate hydrates. The formation of cementitious products, particularly CSH, resulted in improved mechanical properties of the hydrated ash.