Arresting of efflorescence in ceramic tiles developed using caustic alumina industry waste (red mud).

Conversion of caustic red mud (RM, Alumina industry waste) into building materials becoming one of the viable solution for its large scale utilization. The building materials developed using RM often results in efflorescence due to its high alkalinity, which is detrimental for the structural integrity of the buildings. The X-ray shielding tiles developed through ceramic route using the mixtures of RM, BaSO and kaolin clay also suffers from severe NaSO efflorescence when sintered above 1000 °C.

Green conversion of hazardous red mud into diagnostic X-ray shielding tiles.

Red mud is a solid hazardous alumina industrial waste, which is rich in iron, titanium, aluminum, silicon, calcium, etc. The red mud contains 30-60% of hematite, which is suitable for shielding high energy X- and gamma rays. So, the iron rich red mud was converted into diagnostic X-ray shielding tiles through ceramic route by adding a certain weight percentage of BaSO and binders (kaolin clay or sodium hexametaphosphate) with it.