Sustainable construction materials based on mildly alkali activated waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) glasses: Design and characterization

Glasses recovered from the ever-growing electrical and electronic equipment waste stream (WEEE) tend to be ineligible for “closed loop” recycling due to contamination from metallic, polymeric, and ceramic equipment components. They often end up in landfills unless open loop approaches are applied. As amorphous silicates, these glasses are promising candidates as recovered precursors in low-emission, low-energy production of alkali-activated materials (AAMs) for construction, with surface-focused “mild” alkali activation further enhancing process sustainability by reduced reliance on synthesized activators. Waste glass powder from fluorescent lamps and photovoltaic panels was activated and consolidated at low temperature, both on its own and in combination with sand-like fillers from volcanic rock quarry tailings. Characterization from chemical, morphological, mechanical, and antimicrobial activity standpoints showed varying degrees of success in activating the waste-derived precursors, and allowed the selection of several formulations of sustainable AAMs with desirable properties.