We are interested in cooperation in our pre-proposal project, which concerns development of new low emission binders and concrete.
Main idea of proposed project is to process industrial waste materials containing kaolin into pozzolanic, active material containing metakaolin. According to established assumptions, thermally processed materials achieved in this project will fulfill the roll as:
• an alternative cement substitute,
• a component of cementless, geopolymer binder and concrete.
We are looking for partners, who have research experience in: alkali activated materials, processing and refining mineral raw materials and industrial mineral wastes (mostly from energy industry), pozzolan cement and concrete additives, recycling of building materials, circular economy. Our interests are mostly related to the topic no. 2 (Strengthening the Circular economy) and its sub-topics (2.1-2.6) in which we are looking for partners.
Till dozen years our research team has conducted research in above topics. We own experience in geopolymer materials, processing of kaolin clays, management of sub-copper flotation tailings. Our recent works are listed below:
1. Rajczyk K, Kurdowski W, Pichniarczyk P, Janus G.; Low-Emission, Cementless Binders and Concrete: Future Proof Materials. Advanced Cement-Based Materials [Working Title]. 2022; http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.106149
2. Rajczyk K., Janus G.; Microstructure and properties of geopolymers formed in the alkali activation process of fly ash, Cement Wapno Beotn, 26(4) 2021, 279-293, https://doi.org/10.32047/CWB.2021.26.4.2
3. Pat.240980 by Rajczyk K, Janus G., Kaliciak A., Brukhanska D. for KGHM METRACO S.A, Application of waste from flotation enrichment of copper ores in building materials
4. Pat.222233 by Rajczyk K. for KGHM METRACO S.A. A method of obtaining mineral binding material from copper ore flotation waste
5. Rajczyk K., Kaliciak A., Janus G., Brukhanska D.; Cementless concrete from kaolinite and alumino-silicate waste materials, Book of abstracts, 13th Conference for Young Scientist in Ceramics s. 147-148 2019

Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Ceramics and Building Materials (Ł-ICIMB) with headquarter in Cracow is placed in the structure of Łukasiewicz Research Network, which is one of the biggest organizations in Europe consisted with 28 interdisciplinary research Institutes. Ł-ICIMB is a durable and important part of Polish scientific and research society, connecting high quality of research with implementation of the research achievements in industry. The range of conducted research is very wide and includes entire technical science related with ceramics, glass and building and refractory materials. Ł-ICIMB includes 5 research centres (Glass and Building Materials Centre in Cracow, Ceramic and Concrete Centre in Warsaw, Environmental Engineering Centre in Opole, Refractory Materials Centre in Gliwice and Centre for Fire Safety and Acoustics in Cracow). The global development of science and technology has influenced the scope of the Institute's activity, shaping the structure of its research facilities and the undertaken research projects. This has resulted, for example, in a dynamic development of studies in the area of innovative building materials, environmental protection, recycling and industrial waste management. Ł-ICIMB is authorized to grant European Technical Assessments (ETA) for building materials. Ł-ICIMB possesses modern research facilities and research laboratories accredited by the PCA (Polish Centre for Accreditation). Our Institute is a notified unit No. 1487 in accordance with the requirements of Regulation No.305/2011 given on 9 March 2011 by the European Parliament and the EU Council, establishing conditions of implementing new building materials into the market. In our research, we use modern laboratory equipment and methods such as SEM, XRD, DTA e.t.c. In addition, we own experimental facilities that allow us to perform tests on a semi-technical scale in the field of thermal transformation of wastes into new materials, including a high-temperature rotary furnace, which is an important tool for conducting planed research in proposed project.