Upcoming events...
Unique visitors:
Public presentation of Kornelia Wiśniewska-Czaia's PhD thesis (2024-04-20 )
All visitors:
New paper (2024-04-12)
TiO2 was loaded on the porous nickel foam from the suspended ethanol solution and used for the photocatalytic removal of NOx. Such prepared material was heat-treated at various temperatures (400–600 °C) to increase the adhesion of TiO2 with the support. Obtained TiO2/nickel foam samples were characterized by XRD, UV–Vis/DR, FTIR, XPS, AFM, SEM, and nitrogen adsorption at 77 K. Photocatalytic tests of NO abatement were performed in the rectangular shape quar reactor, irradiated from the top by UV LED light with an intensity of 10 W/m2. For these studies, a laminar flow of NO in the air (1 ppm) was applied under a relative humidity of 50% and a temperature of 28 °C. Concentrations of both NO and NO2 were monitored
Konimpex Chemicals Conference (2024-04-12 )
Paulina szołdra's doctoral promotion ceremony (2024-03-07 )
On March 7, 2024, the ceremonial doctoral promotion of Dr. Eng. Paulina Szołdra. Our Paulina bravely and with extraordinary grace wore the doctor's formal dress, intended for this occasion. Another nice touch is the fact that Paulina was among 5 of the 40 doctoral theses awarded in this edition of the promotion. Congratulations again!
New patent (2024-02-20)
PL244944 Cement with the sulfate regulator of setting time
Authors' team: Ł. Kotwica, E. Kapeluszna, J. Deja, W. PICHÓR, A. Różycka, Ł. Gołek, J. Mokrzycki, A. Mokrzycka-Nowak
The subject of the application is cement with a sulphate setting time regulator, which is a substitute for calcium sulphate typically used in cement production technology, especially gypsum or anhydrite. This cement is characterized by the fact that, in addition to the basic cement component in the form of clinker, especially Portland cement, it contains a setting time regulator in the form of: boiler waste dust from waste combustion in an incinerator, code 190115* in accordance with the Regulation of the Minister of the Environment of December 9, 2014. regarding the waste catalog (Journal of Laws 2014, item 1923), i.e. dust from boilers containing hazardous substances, included in group 19 (Waste from installations and devices for waste management, from sewage treatment plants and from the treatment of drinking water and water for industrial purposes) and subgroup 1901...
New paper (2024-01-12)
Titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin film photocatalysts for the elimination of nitrogen oxides (NOx) were prepared by the dip-coating process using the sol–gel method. To prepare the sols, titanium (IV) butoxide (Ti(OBu)4), diethanolamine (DEA), butanol, and HCl were chosen. The TiO2 coatings were prepared using sols with varying volume ratios of Ti(OBu)4:DEA:Butanol. Additionally, three withdrawal speeds from the sol were employed. Subsequently, the TiO2 thin films were sintered at 500 and 700 °C. The obtained thin films were characterized using SEM to determine thickness, AFM to determine ...
2nd place in the "Inventor with Passion" competition for Ewelina Kłosek-Wawrzyn.(2023-12-18)
On November 9, 2023, the final gala of the plebiscite for the best movie promoting the invention from our University "Inventor with passion" took place, organized by the our Main Library and the Patlib - Patent Information Center. 2nd place 🥈 for the film "Innovative Ceramic Materials" received Dr. Eng. Ewelina Kłosek-Wawrzyn. The film was made together with Prof. Waldemar Pichor, and the research was additionally supported by Dr. Eng. Maksymilian Frąc.
The solution presented in the movie was presented, among others, in the article "Influence of pregranulation and low-pressure compaction on the properties of ceramic materials incorporating clay and spent coffee grounds" published in the Applied Clay Science journal.
New paper (2023-10-12)
Spent coffee grounds (SCG) possess the potential to serve as an effective pore-forming additives ceramic materials productions. Nonetheless, a significant challenge arises when attempting to incorporate substantial quantities SCG, leading to a loss of consistency for extrusion moulding. Additionally, a drawback includes the pronounced drying shrinkage observed high SCG-content masses during plastic clay body moulding. In this study, the pregranulation process was employed to overcome these issues and produce a new material. SCG, in quantities of up to 20% by weight, were granulated with clay into assorted sized granules....
Concrete Days 2023 (2023-10-12)
The 12th Concrete Days took place on October 9-11 in Wisła. It is one of the largest scientific and technical conferences in Europe. In the opening session, Waldemar Pichór delivered a lecture on the use of 3D printing technology in Space. Sylwia Kucharczyk also represented our team with a poster "The impact of waste from the perlite expansion process on alkali activation of ground granulated blast furnace slag" (S. Kucharczyk, W. Pichór).
The leader of our group nominated in the Teaching Laurel competition (2023-09-28)
We are pleased to announce that Waldemar Pichór, the leader of our research group, has been nominated in the category The best lecturer to TOP4. The competition results will be announced on October 10 at a gala. Just being among the 4 best UST lecturers is a great success. Congratulations, we are waiting for the outcome and we keep our fingers crossed.
16th International Congress of Cement Chemistry (2023-09-28)
The 16th International Congress on the Chemistry of Cement (ICCC) was held on September 18-22 in Bangkok, Thailand. Our team was represented by Dr. Eng. Paulina Szołdra as co-author of the poster entitled "Comparison of set retarders in CSA and blended CSA/OPC systems" (E. Kapeluszna, W. Szudek, P. Szołdra). The poster met with great interest among the congress participants.
Universal equipment for testing the mechanical properties of thin layers (2023-09-13)
The team gained new research opportunities. We have launched a property testing stationproperties of thin layers. The device has three operating modes: Scratch Adherence Test, Shuttle Wear Test and Friction Uniformity. During the measurements, friction forces in two directions and acoustic emission are measured. This is an enhanced version of the Romulus III tester (Quad Group Inc.). Additionally, a Nikon Labophot-2 microscope is dedicated to the station. The main area of application will be the examination of TiO2 layers.
A new tester for measuring the wettability of powders using the Washburn method (2023-06-26)
The next launched the test stand enables the measurement of powder wettability using the capillary rise method (Washburn method). This method significantly extends the possibilities of testing chemical admixtures to concrete. Measurement is possible as a function of temperature. The station was created on the basis of the Kruss K-12 tensiometer.
A new equipment for measuring the thermal conductivity of materials (2023-06-22)
We have launched a new test stand TC-30 by Mathis for measuring the thermal conductivity coefficient. It is an apparatus working on the basis of the non-stationary method, with a linear heat source equipped with protective heaters. The measurement is very fast (10s), the measuring range of the device is 0.02 - 6.0 W/(mK), the diameter of the sample measuring area is 60 mm.
GoGreen Concrete XX Symposium Rheology in Low-Emission Concrete Technology (2023-06-15)
On June 14, 2023, the GoGreen Concrete Symposium was held, organized by Górażdże HeidelbergCement Group. Our team was represented by W. Pichór, who gave a presentation entitled "Environmentally friendly material solutions in concrete technology". The event was attended by about 150 participants.
XXV Symposium "Composites - Theory and practice" behind us (2023-06-13)
The jubilee conference "Composites - theory and practice", which took place on May 31 - June 2, 2023 in Brenna, just like all the previous ones! it went great. The symposium was attended by 80 participants. Our team was represented by Paulina Szołdra and Waldemar Pichór. Paulina presented a paper by P. Szołdr, M. Frąc, W. Pichór entitled Cement composites with aluminosilicate microspheres modified with TiO2 with increased efficiency of photocatalytic decomposition of air pollutants. The paper of Izabela Marchewka, PhD student - was also presented - I. Marchewka, W. Pichór, Influence of the method of preparation and impregnation with polymer resin on the stability of expanded perlite/paraffin composites. We will definitely choose the next edition...
Film presenting photocatalytic construction materials developed by the team (2023-05-17)
We invite you to watch the film about the research conducted by our team on the development of a new generation of photocatalytic building materials. These studies were largely carried out as part of Paulina Szołdra's doctorate. The movie is available on the pioneer.tv platform.
New paper (2023-05-07)
In this paper, the role of tricalcium aluminate (C3A) and gypsum dehydration level in the air-entraining mechanism in concrete was studied. A higher-performance air system was achieved when anionic surfactant was used, C3A content was higher and gypsum dehydration didn’t occur. Adsorption on cement particles dominates the air-entraining mechanism when anionic admixture is used. Anionic surfactant performs higher quality air microstructure than cationic, despite much lower surface tension...
Presentation of the results at the MATBUD 2023 conference (2023-04-25)
At the MATBUD 2023 conference held on April 19-21, organized by the Cracow University of Technology, a paper was presented in cooperation with various universities by M. Dobiszewska, W. PICHÓR, T. Tracz, A. Petrella, M. Notarnicola "Effect of Glass Powder on the Cement Hydration, Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Mortar".
XXV Symposium "Composites - Theory and practice" (2023-03-24)
On behalf of the Management Board of the Polish Society of Composite Materials and the organizing committee konferenceI cordially invite you to the XXV Symposium "Composites - theory and practice", which will be held on May 31 - June 2, 2023 in Brenna, at the hotel Kotarz. Please see attached conference flyer (pdf) and abstract form (MS Word file). Details on the PTMK website.
Waldemar Pichor
New paper (2023-03-22)
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possibility of using ground waste-expanded perlite (WP) as a sustainable replacement for ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) precursor in alkali-activated systems. The nature and amount of hydration products, microstructure, and compressive strength development were investigated in mixtures where GGBFS was substituted with 10, 20 and 40% by weight of WP and activated by two alkali activators: sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide. The results show that WP can be successfully used as a partial replacement for GGBFS in alkali-activated materials. Activation by the Na2CO3 solution was more profitable...
And it happened - our Paulina became PhD (2023-03-10)
After a great speech, where mg inż. Paulina Szołdra presented the results of her research carried out in her doctorate, after very positive reviews and requests for distinction by each reviewer, the doctoral commission applied to the Chemical Engineering Discipline Council for the PhD title. Although formally, Paulina will be able to use this title after a positive vote of the ChED Council on the relevant resolution, we would like to congratulate her today.
Public Paulina's PhD defense (2023-03-06)
We cordially invite you to the public presentation of our Paulina's doctoral thesis entitled "Functionalization of aluminosilicate microspheres with TiO2 coatings″, which will take place on March 10, 2023 at 11:30 in room 018 paw. B8. We keep our fingers crossed.
New papers (2023-02-24)
The production of Manufactured Steel Fibres (MSF) dramatically contributes to the natural environment's pollution by releasing significant amounts of carbon dioxide. The acquisition of new solutions of dispersed concrete reinforcement should have three simultaneous directions: environmental, economical and practical, which means a function of reinforcing brittle cement matrix. This paper presents the results of comparative studies on concrete with MSF and concrete containing the same amount of (purified) Recycled Tyre Steel Fibres (RTSF). The adhesion of fibres to cement matrix...
W. Pichór, Environmentally friendly material solutions in the technology of autoclaved aerated concrete. AAC Worldwide 1 (2023) 8-16
Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) is an environmentally friendly material. However, the demands of the modern world and, above all, care for the future, necessitate the search for new solutions to minimise negative environmental effects. This paper presents selected solutions for the use of waste materials and by-products from other techniques in autoclaved aerated concrete production, taking into account potential risks and limitations...
M. Dobiszewska, W. Pichór, T. Tracz, A. Petrella, M. Notarnicola, Effect of Glass Powder on the Cement Hydration, Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Mortar. Materials Proceedings 13 (2023) 40. https://doi.org/10.3390/materproc2023013040
Cement production has the largest carbon-footprint since it leads to the release of carbon dioxide and enormous energy consumption. Therefore, scientific research is being conducted worldwide on the possibility of using other materials that can be used as a cement substitute. A potential alternative material is glass powder. This paper present research results on the use of glass powder as a partial cement replacement with a substitution level of 0–20%. The pozzolanic activity and the influence of glass powder on cement hydration were analyzed. The porosity...
W. Pichór, P. Szołdra, P. Jasionowska, K. Zawada, P. Stępień, Efektywność fotokatalitycznego rozkładu NOx przez kompozyty cementowe z TioCem® w różnych warunkach środowiskowych. Budownictwo Technologie Architektura 100 (2022) 64-69 (in Polish)
In most cases, cement composites with the addition of TiO2 show a much lower efficiency of NOx decomposition in real conditions than it results from laboratory tests. Additionally, a further deterioration of the photocatalytic properties is observed after a long period of use. The paper presents studies of the reduction of NOx decomposition efficiency by cement composites with TiO2 addition after carbonation associated with simulated environmental...
Conference 5th OTF 2023 in Mexico (2023-02-19)
On February 12-15, 2023, the 5th Functional Oxide Thin Films for Advanced Energy and Information Technology Conference took place in Cancun, Mexico. It was an opportunity to present the research results in the form of a poster by P. Szołdra, W. Pichór "Properties of TiO2 thin film with various anatase/brookite/rutile ratio" in a group of specialists dealing with technology related to electronics and power engineering. The conference was organized by Fusion Conferences Ltd.
New patent (2023-02-10)
Author team: Ł. Kotwica, J. Deja, W. PICHÓR, A. Różycka, Ł. Gołek, J. Mokrzycki, A. Mokrzycka-Nowak
The subject of the application is a method of reducing the leachability of chlorides from mineral mixtures containing wastes with high concentrations of soluble chlorides, which is a method of solidification and stabilization of wastes. This method consists in the fact that waste containing calcium hydroxide and soluble chlorides at a concentration of up to 35%, generated in the process of thermal transformation of industrial or municipal waste or in another thermal process generating such waste, is mixed with clay-bearing raw material which is a source of active alumina, in ratio of the mass of waste to the mass of clay-bearing raw material ranging from 1:1 to 11:1, until obtaining a homogeneous...
First copy of Cement and Concrete Research (2023-02-06)
Thanks to the courtesy of Dr. Łukasz Kołodziej, our team has been enriched with a historical copy of the first issue of one of the most important industry magazines covering the subject of cement and concrete - Cement and Concrete Research vol.1, no. 1 from 1971. It is worth reminding especially young scientists that in ancient times we managed without thousands of references on every topic on the web, and we drew knowledge from signed, original papers and books.
Increasing the team's research capabilities - Disc granulator (2023-02-03)
In the team of Advanced Building Materials, we launched a prototype disc granulator with high efficiency. The operating parameters can be programmed in the range of: rotation 5-25 rpm, plate inclination angle 15-60 degrees. Depending on the kind of material, the estimated capacity is about 20 kg/h. The main purpose is granulation of the Martian regolith analog as part of the project to develop a technology for producing substrates for plant cultivation in space bases (Moon, Mars). The topic is being developed in cooperation with the Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Ljubljana and the AGH Space Technology Center.
Establishing cooperation with the University of Ljubljana (2023-01-29)
As part of a visit to the Department of Food Technology and at the University of Ljubljana on January 27, 2023, a seminar in which, among others, Waldemar Pichór gave a lecture on the possibility of printing buildings on Mars. The seminar was a working meeting aimed at discussing the possibility of implementing a joint grant in the field of using 3D printing technology in space and future space bases supported by ESA. Our university (except W. Pichór) was represented by Dr. Agata Kołodziejczyk from the AGH Space Technology Center. On behalf of UL BF, the meeting was attended by Prof. Nataša Poklar Ulrih and Dr. Ilja Gasan Osojnik Črnivec. Also, the possibility of students exchange was disscussed.
The XIII Conference of the Polish Ceramic Society is behind us (2022-11-27)
On 25-27 November 2022, the 13th Conference of the Polish Ceramic Society in Zakopane was held. The conference was attended by about 60 people from various universities and industrial partners. Our team was represented by Prof. Waldemar Pichór, who gave a lecture in the plenary session "Space construction. Are we ready to colonize Mars?" and dr. Piotr Stępień with a poster by the group P. Stępień, P. Szołdra, W. Pichór "Efficiency of photocatalytic NOx decomposition by anhydrite containing ZnO". At the same time, the PCS Congress was held, combined with the election of new society authorities. Waldemar Pichór, Ph.D. Eng., Prof. AGH was elected chairman of the Audit Committee for another term.
Paulina Szołdra's internship at Dokuz University in Turkey (2022-11-27)
Paulina has just started a short-term scientific internship at Dokuz University in Turkey, as part of the IDUB Action 4 project implemented in the team. Left to right: Prof. dr Ali Bahadir Yavuz, Prof. dr Egemen Teomete, Paulina, Prof. dr Turgay Onargan (Dean), Prof. Olgun Cicek (DEU Int. Relations).
New edition of Basics of building materials technology... book (2022-11-25)
A new revised and supplemented edition of the book for students has just been published - Basics of building materials technology and research methods, edited by prof. Jan Małolepszy. Among the group of authors (because it would be more than enough for the crew of a sailing ship) there is also the leader of our team. The good news is that the manual is updated... the bad news is that it gets fatter with each edition. But hey, no one promised it would be easy. We recommend it!
Laboratory 3D printer for ceramic mass (2022-11-24)
We have launched a station for printing 3D objects from ceramic masses. The working volume of the working field is about 200 cm3. Optionally, it is possible to mount a 5W laser for thermal treatment of the printed stream in order to harden it. We hope to speed up the work related to the printing of small elements from the Martian regolith...
Needle in the haystack - new blog post (in Polish) (2022-11-20)
A little reflection on the gathering of information in the modern world. In the free time...
New grant in the MINIATURA-6 call (2022-11-10)
Sylwia Kucharczyk's project in the NCN MINIATURA-6 competition entitled The influence of the conditions of the synthesis of glasses present in selected industrial wastes on their structure and subsequent reactivity in model systems simulating the conditions of hydrating cement has been financed. Congratulations!
New paper (2022-11-03)
The paper presents the synthesis and properties of nanometric TiO2 powders obtained by the sol–gel method at elevated temperatures. The presence of brookite inhibits the anatase - rutile transformation at higher temperatures. Even after the treatment of gel at 700°C, a large amount of anatase in the TiO2 powders was found. Measurements in the UV–Vis range were performed to determine the optical band-gap of TiO2. Results of photocatalytic tests for the degradation of RhB and NO under UV are also presented. The decomposition efficiency of the powders was compared with the P25 before and after treatment at 700°C. The obtained powders...
Mission no. 54 at AATC Training Space Station with our Granules! (2022-11-02)
As part of 54 missions carried out at the Analog Astronaut Training Center habitat, the possibility of cultivating hydroponic plants on the granulates produced by our team made of an analogue of lunar regolith with a binder obtained from kombucha is tested. Despite unjustified fears as it turned out, the leaf root grew on practically each variant of the granulate. To our knowledge, it was the first research of its in the World. The next step will definitely be something bigger ... maybe watermelons?
Links to short Presentation of AATC Mission 54 and to related program from "Dzień dobry TVN". We encourage students to join the group working with our team on this subject .
Paper "Problems of durability of potential building structures on Mars" was presented at the Kontra 2022 conference (2022-10-15)
On October 13-14, 2022 the XXII Scientific and Technical Conference "Kontra 2022 Durability of buildings and protection against corrosion" was held in Cedzyna. Our team was represented by Waldemar Pichór, who presented a lecture on the durability of potential 3D printed structures on Mars. The paper is related to the solutions of space structures building, developed in our team. It is worth emphasizing that despite the early hour (it was the first lecture at 9:00 a.m.), the presentation enjoyed a lot of attendance, especially just after the engineering evening. This undoubtedly proves the interest in the subject and the need for greater involvement of the environment related to building materials in the subject of Space engineering... and the skills of the organizing committee from Warsaw University of Technology (to which we cordially greet). A nice touch was also winning the 2nd place in the competition for the best poster prepared by Agnieszka Michalik from the Building Research Institute - a doctoral student carrying out a thesis on the use of steel fibers from recycled car tires in concrete technology, the promoter of which is Prof. Waldemar Pichór.
The 7th Conference "Concrete prefabrication and AAC in construction" is ended successfully (2022-10-15)
On October 11-12, 2022, the 7th conference on concrete prefabrication and autoclaved aerated concrete technology was held in Serock, organized by the Concrete Producers Association. The topics of the conference mainly concerned the current problems related to the development of new technologies, both material and design, including developing and implementing BIM solutions. Over 300 people took part in the conference. Our team was represented by Prof. Waldemar Pichór, who presented the paper "Environmentally friendly material solutions in the technology of autoclaved aerated concrete". Presentation was published in the Cement Wapno Beton journal and is available to read here
Commencement of the next stage of cooperation between CTK AGH and AATC (2022-1003)
As part of cooperation with the CTK AGH and Analog Astronaut Training Center, we started the next stage of research on the development of a technology for obtaining a synthetic substrate for future crops on the Moon and Mars. Willing students to take part in this project are invited to cooperate. Projects currently being implemented concern large-scale 3D printing from regolith, the use of kombucha as a binder and the assessment of the impact of human activity on virgin regions on Earth (yes, there are). Contact directly pichor@agh.edu.pl, 501-166-091 or in A3 p.108.
Lesser Poland Researchers Night - 30.09.2022 (2022-09-28)
The event "Coffee grounds and 3D printing. Will they save the world?" More
We invite you to demonstrations and experiments where you will get acquainted with modern technologies of building materials. You will be able to create a modern and ecological bricks from the coffee grounds yourself. You will learn about the possibilities and application of 3D printing in industry and medicine. You will be able to test the printed prototypes and supervise the process. The lecture hall will turn into a cinema room, you will get to know our people: the best educators, graduates and the most interesting research results of employees and, above all, students.
Reservation for the "Cups of coffee grounds" event: https://forms.gle/HXgvpUQExq9yqvL8A
LOCATION: BUILDING A3, ROOM 0.21 (BASEMENT); BUILDING B8, ROOM 3.14 (III p.); BUILDING B8, AULA (GROUND FLOOR), 6 PM
"Building materials of the future" - New course in the UBPO (2022-09-21)
We cordially invite students of AGH to a new course, launched this year, in "Building materials of the future". It is the first course in the block of innovative courses from our Faculty in this database (160-INN-001)!!! The course covers 30 hours of lectures, 15 hours of laboratory (4ECTS). Intelligent building materials, materials with photocatalytic abilities (air purification, self-cleaning), low-energy and low-emission cements, 3D concrete printing technique will be mainly discussed. We will check most of the things discussed in the lecture ourselves in laboratories. Registration starts soon - 28.09.
And below is a description of the course from the UBPO database ...
"When thinking about the vision of the cities of the future, we rarely think of what materials and with what techniques these cities will be built. Such materials can not only monitor the condition of the object, temperature and stress, but they will also be able to repair themselves and remove pollutants from the air. The limit of functionality is only imagination. Their production must be environmentally friendly and should be easily recyclable after use. This future begins today ..."
Internship as part of cooperation with the Institute of Ceramics and Building Materials (Łukasiewicz Research Network) (2022-09-19)
A member of our team, Dr. Eng. Sylwia Kucharczyk is completing a month-long research internship at the Institute of Ceramics and Building Materials of the Łukasiewicz Research Network, in the Raw Materials and Construction Binders Research Group. During the internship, research is carried out, among others in the use of analytical techniques in cement testing, determination of organic content (TOC), testing of raw materials and building materials for CO2 emissions. Proficiency in the above-mentioned methods will allow her to develop research into low-emission building binders, which are of interest to her.
Presentation of the results at the conference ECerS (2022-07-15)
On July 11-14, the international Ceramics in Europe conference was held in Krakow, where Ewelina Kłosek-Wawrzyn presented a paper by E. KŁOSEK-WAWRZYN, W. PICHÓR, M. FRĄC "Preparation and properties of new thermal-insulating building materials with high content. of coffee grounds " . The poster prepared by Kornelia Wiśniewska was also presented by K. Wiśniewska, E. KŁOSEK-WAWRZYN, W. PICHÓR "The impact of the addition of different grain size of limestone to creamfiring clays on the color properties of sintered ceramics " .
New equipment and increased research capacity (2022-06-24)
We have launched a station for testing thermal effects with the use of a professional laboratory FLIR ETS320 thermal imaging camera . The equipment will be used to study the distribution of heat flux in the designed heating systems using smart materials and to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of phase-change materials (PCM) in building construction solutions.
Information material on the project of using coffee grounds as an additive for ceramics (2022-06-22)
We cordially invite you to watch a short information video about the project implemented by Ewelina Kłosek-Wawrzyn on the use of coffee grounds as an additive that favors building ceramics. The film is available on the Pionier.tv platform. You can watch it here .
Presentation of the results at the composite conference (2022-06-05)
On June 1-3, 2022, the XXIV Conference "Composites - theory and practice" was held in Brenna. Over 100 people from universities and representatives of industrial partners participated in the conference. There was also a strong representation of our team (all except Maks Frąc, who is currently on an internship in Bydgoszcz). The latest results of our research were presented in the form of 3 oral presentations:
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P. SZOŁDRA, P. STĘPIEŃ, M. FRĄC, W. PICHÓR, Photodegradation of NOx in the presence of thin layers of TiO2 ,
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K. Wiśniewska, W. PICHÓR, E. KŁOSEK-WAWRZYN: The effect of the addition of the composite pigment CaCO3 -TiO2 on the color of ceramic materials,
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W. PICHÓR, P. STĘPIEŃ: The influence of variable printing parameters on the mechanical properties of cement composites
Posters were also presented:
S. KUCHARCZYK, P. STĘPIEŃ, W. PICHÓR: Future friendly low-energy construction binders based on thermally treated limestone
E. KŁOSEK-WAWRZYN, W. PICHÓR, M. FRĄC: The use of coffee grounds in the production of ceramics with increased thermal insulation properties
We are pleased to announce that the poster prepared by Ewelina concerning the use of coffee grounds was the best conference poster.
Internship in cooperation with Bydgoszcz University of Technology (2022-05-30)
A member of our team, Dr. Eng. Maksymilian Frąc was a month-long scientific internship at the Department of Mechanics of Structures and Building Materials at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environmental Engineering of the Bydgoszcz University of Technology in the field of concrete technology, with particular emphasis on waste management from various processes.
New Patent (2022-05-29)
PL240338B1 Mineral binder and method of preparing a mortar based on a mineral binder
Authors: Ł. Kotwica, J. Deja, W. PICHÓR, A. Różycka, Ł. Gołek, J. Mokrzycki, A. Mokrzycka-Nowak
The subject of the invention is a mineral binder, the main component of which is ash from thermal treatment of sewage sludge from municipal sewage treatment plants, mixed with an alkaline activator. The invention also relates to a method of preparing a mortar based on a mineral binder. Mixes made with the proposed binder acquire favorable strength parameters (compressive strength) after hydrothermal treatment in low or high pressure infusion conditions
EBEC 2022 - we support the largest student engineering competition in Europe (2022-05-24)
The European BEST Engineering Competition (EBEC) is the flagship project of the Board of European Students of Technology. It is the largest engineering competition in Europe and its aim is to select students with comprehensive engineering knowledge and practical skills in the field of technical sciences. The competition is divided into two categories: Innovative Design and Case Study. Innovative Design is a new category that consists in developing an innovative solution to a given problem. The most important thing here is creativity and an unconventional approach to the subject. The second category, Case Study, on the other hand, focuses on the use of already available technology to analyze and improve solutions to a specific issue. Ideas in each of the competitions are assessed by the Jury, whose member this year is the head of our team, Waldemar Pichór. We are cheering for all participants!
Students ... join the fun (2022-05-16)
We invite all students of the Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics to take part in the game ... the most interesting proposal will be available in the SM ...
New research equipment available to the team (2022-04-09)
We have launched a new research stand to assess CO 2 sequestration by new generation low-emission mineral binders. The stand also enables hydrothermal synthesis at a temperature in the range of 20-60oC, in a CO 2 atmosphere up to a maximum pressure of 3 bar. The volume of the reactor chamber is 10 dm3. A new generation of environmentally friendly mineral binders use the carbonation effect as the primary hardening mechanism. This is one of the first studies in this field in Poland.
New paper (2022-04-09)
TThe objective of this work was to obtain cement composites with low percolation thresholds, which would reduce the cost of graphite and maintain good mechanical properties. For this purpose, exfoliated graphite was used as a conductive additive, which was obtained by exfoliating the expanded graphite via ultrasonic irradiation in a water bath with surfactant. To obtain evenly distributed graphite particles, the exfoliated graphite was incorporated with the remaining surfactant into the matrix. This study is limited to investigating the influence of exfoliated graphite on the electrical and mechanical...
3D printer project in the phase of optimization of the mixture for printing (2022-04-06)
The project of a concrete 3D printer grows larger. The works have entered the phase of optimization of the concrete mix from which we print, currently we are designing and testing new mixtures containing various components and chemical admixtures. In May, we are launching the task of printing from the Martian regolith. It is one of the elements of the Mars colonization bigger project. We invite all students to cooperate.
New paper (2022-04-06)
K. Wiśniewska, E. KŁOSEK-WAWRZYN, R. Lach, W. PICHÓR, Influence of the Grain Size Distribution of the Limestone Additives on the Color Properties and Phase Composition of Sintered Ceramic Materials Based on Cream-Firing Clays. Materials 15 (2022) 2694, doi.org/10.3390/ma15072694, IF=3,623
The study focused on determining color changes in materials made of cream-firing clays from the Opoczno region (Poland) due to the addition of calcium carbonate in the form of limestone. Moreover, the influence of the grain size distribution of this additive on the color properties of the materials and their phase composition was determined. Test samples were prepared using theplastic method and fired at four different temperatures: 1120, 1140, 1160 and 1180 °C. The color properties of the surface of ceramic materials were determined in CIE-Lab color space using a colorimeter. Quantitative phase...
Our team leader among the 20 best PhD promoters from all over AGH (2022-03-29)
We are pleased to inform you that in the group of winners of the 1st IDUB competition under Action 5: "Financing a one-time bonus for the best promoters", the leader of our team was among the 20 best PhD promoters from all over AGH. Congratulations ... mainly to PhD students.
New paper (2022-03-26)
The role of searching for industrial waste management solutions in construction is key for environmental protection. Research in recent years has focused on solutions aimed at reducing the carbon footprint. This paper presents the results of tests conducted on concrete reinforced with treated recycled tyre steel fibres (RTSFs) compared to the same amount of manufactured steel fibres (MSFs). The effectiveness of concrete reinforcement with RTSFs was analysed using the fracture mechanics parameters of cementitious composites. Rheological tests, residual flexural tensile strength tests, work of fracture measurements, toughness indices, examinations of the fibre distribution in the concrete, and SEM observations of the concrete...
Award-winning article (2022-03-01)
We are pleased to announce that the article S.KUCHARCZYK, M.Zajac, Ch.Stabler, R.M.Thomsen, M.Ben Haha, J.Skibsted, J.Deja, Structure and reactivity of synthetic CaO-Al 2 O 3 -SiO 2 glasses, Cement and Concrete Research 120 (2019) 77-91, published as part of Sylwia's doctoral dissertation was awarded as the best article published in 2019 in this journal. Congratulations!!!
New conference "COMPOSITES - Theory and practice" (2022-02-13)
On June 1-3, 2022, the "Composites - theory and practice" conference organized by the Polish Society of Composite Materials will be held in Brenna. Details here. On behalf of the organizing committee and PSCM Board, I cordially invite you to participate.
Vice president of PSCM - Prof. Waldemar Pichór
New paper (2022-01-28)
The paper presents the evaluation of the influence of calcium sulfate on the air void microstructure in concrete and its action mechanism depending on the character of the air‐entraining agent. Gypsum dehydration has been previously proven to negatively influence the air void structure of air‐entrained concrete. Ettringite, nucleating from tricalcium aluminate and calcium sulfate, influences the adsorption and mode of action of anionic‐based polycarboxylate ether admixtures. The authors suspected the admixture’s air‐entraining mechanism was also affected by these characteristics. Gypsum dehydration was confirmed to influence the air void structure. In the case of the anionic surfactant, the content of air bubbles...
Internship in cooperation with the West Pomeranian University of Technology (2021-12-20)
A member of our team - dr Piotr Stępień - was a month-long scientific internship at the Department of Reinforced Concrete Structures and Concrete Technology of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczcin. The main topic of the internship was the technology of 3D printing from concrete. The Department of Reinforced Concrete Structures has the greatest experience in this technology from universities in Poland.
Cooperation with the Bydgoszcz University of Technology (2021-11-18)
On November 18, 2021 a meeting with Prof. Magdalena Dobiszewska, head of the Department of Mechanics of Structures and Building Materials at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Bydgoszcz University of Technology. Employee presentation and rules, we ensure the right to conduct research in a team, we discussed the rules, principles and scope of the cooperation, especially under the project NAWA has the right to conduct Polish research.
New paper
W. PICHÓR, M. FRĄC, M. Radecka, Determination of percolation threshold in cement composites with expanded graphite by impedance spectroscopy. Cement and Concrete Composites 125 (2022) 104328, doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2021.104328, IF=7,586 (200 pkt.)
The following paper presents the method of determination of the percolation threshold in cement composites with expanded graphite by impedance spectroscopy. Most of the applications of cement composites with conductive additives require exceeding the percolation threshold. The ionic conductivity of cement matrix below the percolation threshold has a major impact on the conductivity of the composite, as a result, it significantly hinders the exploitation of these composites. The electric properties of cement composites with expanded graphite were evaluated by DC measurements and impedance spectroscopy (IS). Based on Nyquist plots, two equivalent circuits...
Cooperation - internship
As part of our cooperation, dr Adam Zieliński from the Department of Reinforced Concrete Structures and Concrete Technology, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology graduated a month-long scientific internship at our Department.
New papers
This study is focused on the behavior of the cream-firing clays from Opoczno region (Poland). The ceramic masses on which tests were carried out consisted of cream-firing Borkowice clay and dolomite in two different grain sizes as an additive that changes the color of ceramic materials. Test samples were prepared by plastic method and fired at a range of 1100–1240oC. Phase composition of the investigated materials was characterized by XRD method with quantitive analysis of the amorphous phase determined by the Retvield technique. Color properties of the surface...
This paper presents the results of the investigation on the applicability of shungite as an electrically conductive additive in cement composites. In this study, shungite-3 containing: 34.3 wt% of carbon, 56.3 wt% of SiO2, 3.8 wt% of Al2O3 and porosity of 11 wt% was used. Cement mortars with a different shungite content were prepared and their electrical, piezoresistive, thermoelectric and mechanical properties were characterized. The electrical properties were evaluated by means of DC measurements and impedance spectroscopy (IS). Changes in the resistivity of the composites...
Concrete Days 2021 conference
On October 11-13, 2021, the 11th Concrete Days 2021 conference was held in Wisła, attended by members of our team (W. Pichór, P. Szołdra, P. Stępień). Our "boss" gave a lecture entitled "Efficiency of photocatalytic decomposition of NOx by cement composites with TioCem under various environmental conditions" by W. Pichór, P. Szołdra, P. Jasionowska, K. Zawada, P. Stępień. The research was supported by the IDUB project. A novelty in this edition of the conference was the 1st Charity Run "DNI BETONU W BIEGU 2021" at a distance of 10 km, in which Prof. Pichór not only took part, reached the finish line, but did it without the need for resuscitation. Congratulations.
Cooperation with West Pomeranian University of Technology
On October 8, 2021, we were visited by Prof. Elżbieta Horszczaruk from the West Pomeranian University of Technology. After the presentation of our laboratories and currently implemented research projects, we discussed the directions and scope of future cooperation, with particular emphasis on the role of young employees (joint ventures, research internships). Thank you for your visit, the atmosphere of talks and declarations of closer cooperation.
Concrete 3D printer - first successful printing attempts
The "3D printer for concrete" project entered the optimization and design phase of a future research program with its use, incl. large-scale printing from ceramic and simulation of printing from Martian regolith, which project (we hope, we are in talks) will be implemented together with the AGH UST Space Technology Center. We have also established cooperation with the ZUT (Szczecin) dealing with 3D printing. We invite students of WIMiC to implement engineering projects (in the PBL formula) to the Department of Building Materials Technology. Contact via the form or directly to the our team.
2nd ICSEFCM Conference...
On August 31 - September 2, 2021, the 2nd International Conference on Sustainable, Environmental Friendly Construction Materials took place at the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin. The conference was organized as part of the NAWA-funded PROM program. It was attended by young scientists and doctoral students from three foreign universities:
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece), NOVA University of Lisbon (Portugal),
University of Córdoba (Spain) and from AGH-UST (Kraków), Warsaw University of Technology and WPUT (Szczecin). Our team was represented by Waldemar Pichór, who gave an invited lecture entitled “Expanded graphite - promising additive for smart cement composites ” and Paulina Szołdra who presented her results on a poster entitled “Preparation and photocatalytic properties of TiO2 powders synthesized by sol-gel”.
Presentation of research results at the conference
The 23rd Conference "Materials, Methods & Technologies" is taking place from 19-22 August in Burgas, Bulgaria. The team was represented by Paulina Szołdra, who is a participant of the PROM NAWA Program - iInternational scholarship exchange of PhD candidates and academic staff. The results of her investigation were presented on the poster "The influence of the phase composition on the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 powder".
Polish Society of Composite Materials
We are pleased to inform that on June 18, 2021, the head of our team was elected by the General Assembly of Members the vice-president of the Polish Society of Composite Materials. Congratulations and we encourage you, among others to participate in the conference organized in 2022 (details soon).
3D concrete printer - starting work on a new challenge
Our team started working on the construction of a 3D concrete printer with a working space of 1.5m x 1m x 1m. The assumptions are that the project is to be a universal printing module, intended for testing various solutions, both constructional and binder mixtures, e.g. the way of laying subsequent layers (various shapes of nozzles), designing new binder mixtures, including simulating the possibility of printing from Martian regolith. We invite everyone, especially students to participate in this project (contact form). We are currently verifying construction assumptions and load tests ...
New paper
This paper presents the results of a laboratory study on grouts with a novel binder characterized by high thermal conductivity, designed for low-temperature geothermal applications. The highly thermally conductive binder was prepared by milling expanded graphite together with Portland clinker to obtain a homogenous mixture containing exfoliated graphite. Cement grouts with the obtained binder were prepared to determine their thermal and mechanical properties and durability in both dried and water-saturated state. Thermal properties were determined by thermal conductivity...
New project
We are pleased to inform that our project "Active smart cement materials" in the "System of university grants for research carried out with the participation of doctoral students" (Action 4) program was highly appreciated and received funding. More information on the website of Initiative for Excellence – Research University
Increasing research capacity of our laboratory
We have launched an improved chamber for tests of photocatalytic gas decomposition under UV radiation. The chamber is dedicated to NOx, but additionally has the possibility of simultaneous testing in laminar flow up to three different gases, eg NO2, SO2. It is equipped with a stable 365 nm UV-LED source, with a range of 5-15 W/m2. The flow of the tested gases and carrier gas (synthetic air) is stabilized in the wide range by mass flow controlers with temperature compensation (Aalborg MFC). The tests can be conducted at the different humidity (up to 90%) kept at the stable level during the test. The chamber is equipped with precise analyzers - chemiluminescent for NOx (AC22M) and fluorescent for SO2 (AF21). All operating parameters (flows, pressure, humidity, temperature in the chamber, outside temperature) are monitored and stored by the data acquisition module and PC. The chamber meets the requirements of the EN-ISO 22197-1 standard.
New paper
The influence of sol composition and water content, selected alcohols, and the presence of deflocculant and acid on the photocatalytic properties of TiO2 powders obtained by the sol-gel method was investigated. In order to prepare the sol, titanium IV butoxide, three different alcohols, diethanolamine, deionized water, and HCl were used. All samples were annealed under constant conditions at a temperature of 500 ° C for 90 min. The XRD results revealed that a mixture of anatase and brookite could be obtained in the as-synthesized powders obtained from the sols with the addition of HCl. Powders including only anatase phase could be obtained from the annealed sols without the addition of HCl. The photocatalytic performance of the samples with anatase and a mixture of anatase and brookite was thoroughly investigated in the degradation of bromophenol blue solutions. TiO2 powders containing two polymorphs exhibited superior photocatalytic properties compared to single-phase powders with anatase.
New international cooperation
In 2021, we started scientific cooperation with Prof. Eugemen Teomete from Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Engineering in Turkey in the field of designing and testing the properties of smart cement composites.
Latest papers
The following paper presents the results of research on cement composites with expanded graphite/paraffin in terms of their application in accumulative heating systems. A novel approach, using expanded graphite simultaneously as an electric conductive and as a phase-change additive, is presented. A complex additive was prepared by means of the impregnation of expanded graphite (EG) with paraffin through porous grains. The EG/paraffin grains were added to cement composites in a ratio of 10–30 wt% of cement. The surface temperature of the composites with EG/paraffin..
K. Wiśniewska, W. PICHÓR, E. KŁOSEK-WAWRZYN, Impact of the addition of dolomite to cream ‐ firing clays on the technological and color properties of sintered ceramics. International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology 18 (3) (2021) 1063-1073, IF = 1.968
Sintered ceramics, represented by ceramic tiles or clinker bricks, are widely used in the building materials industry due to their technological properties and visual qualities. The topic of color changing of ceramic materials from cream ‐ firing clays with the use of mineral additives has not been addressed to date. The aim of the paper was to investigate the effect of granulation of dolomite additives to ceramic masses based on cream ‐ firing Borkowice clay on the color and properties of fired ceramic materials. The paper proposes that grain size of mineral additive affects the color ...
Ground waste expanded perlite (WEP) is a new pozzolanic supplementary cementitious material of high activity. The use of effective reactive additions allows for a further reduction of the clinker content in the cement while maintaining the strength and durability of the mortars. This is the potential to further reduce the carbon footprint of cement. In the present work, the activity of ground waste expanded perlite was quantified using the k-value concept introduced by the EN-206 European standard for Type II additions. Two methods of k-value determination were used, based on ...