Novel ceramic composites produced from coal discards with potential application in the building and construction sectors

In response to the enormous amounts of coal discard generated during coal mining and preparation, the development of an efficient and sustainable strategic use of this resource is essential. Furthermore, the rising urban population over the next decades is confronted with the depletion of quality raw materials for building components. To this end, this study reports new information on the morphology, water absorption, and flexural strength properties of ceramic composites produced from three different coal discards and polysiloxane pre-ceramic polymer (PCP) resin. In addition, test results relating to the continuous operating temperature, chemical resistance, and efflorescence potential of the composites are presented. The results show that the water absorption and flexural strength of the coal composites, up to 1.94% and 36.46 MPa respectively, exceed the requirements for ceramic and clay roof tiles. The continuous operating temperature of composites is found to be more thermally stable than conventional roofing tiles (concrete and ceramic) between ambient temperature and 600°C. In addition, the excellent chemical resistance of the composites (94.43%−99.98%) compared to conventional roofing tiles (67.82%−99.97%) eliminates the need for additional external coatings. The interesting results documented so far suggest that this technique could be used to produce low-temperature application building products such as bricks, panels, roofing tiles, etc. This new recycling technique offers an excellent opportunity to eliminate enormous volumes of coal discard and to advance the circular economy in the coal industry.