Recycling of magnesium waste into magnesium hydroxide aerogels

The development of magnesium (Mg) production has led to an ever-increasing volume of magnesium waste, with detrimental effects on the environment. Recycling magnesium waste into magnesium hydroxide (MH) aerogels has been successfully developed to partially solve the problem of magnesium waste. The effects of the Mg concentration on the properties of the MH aerogel have been investigated. The MH aerogel exhibits a porous structure with a low density of 0.081-0.150 g cm(-3) and a high porosity of 91.5-94.4 %. Its thermal conductivity and stability are evaluated, showing that the MH aerogel has a good thermal insulation capability with a low thermal conductivity of 30-42mW m(-1) K-1, and it is stable up to 800 degrees C for about 50 % weight loss. In addition, its acoustic absorption performance is also investigated. The MH aerogel performs a good acoustic absorption capability at low frequency, and its noise reduction coefficient indicates that the MH aerogel is a potential competitor to other acoustic insulators. The results demonstrate that magnesium waste can be recycled into a high-value material for thermal and acoustic insulation applications, enhancing the use of environmental wastes.