> Commercial Prototype
Natural aggregate materials, such as sand and crushed stone that have their weight ranges between 2,300-2,600 kilograms per cubic meter, can help increase the strength of the concrete very well. However, their heaviness also pose a limitation in certain applications requiring lightweight concrete products.
MTEC research team had developed a synthetic lightweight aggregate prototype for the industries using by-products from the alcoholic beverage industry of Thai Beverage Group as principal raw materials. The prototype’s characteristic is spherical with a large number of air cavities and lightweight with good air insulation property. However, its strength is comparable to most conventional ceramic materials.
The promotion of the production of synthetic lightweight aggregates from by-products of various manufacturing industries not only helps control the property and quality of the developed lightweight aggregates to be able to applied with various applications, but also helps increase the value of waste and by-products, creates business opportunities for the private sectors to develop new products, and reduces environmental impacts.
This technology has been applied in the commercial production by Charunbusiness 52 Company Limited, a subsidiary company of the Thai Beverage Group. The company cooperated with MTEC research team to produce synthetic lightweight aggregates, and test its heat resistance performance.
At present, the company had successfully produced lightweight aggregates with a capacity of 10 tons per day under the trademark named “Green-rock”.
This research result not only helps create value-added to by-products and reduces its management problems but also expands the company’s opportunities in the materials and construction business.
Research team
Dr. Pitak Laoratanakul and Ceramic Engineering Research Team