International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD)

Volume 4 Issue 5, July-August 2020 Available Online: www.ijtsrd.com e-ISSN: 2456 – 6470

SEM and EDX Analysis of Waste Paper Sludge Ash and Cement
R. Murugaboopathy
Lecturer, Civil Engineering, P.A.C. Ramasamy Raja Polytechnic College, Rajapalayam, Tamil Nadu, India

ABSTRACT How to cite this paper: R.

In Sivakasi, India, large volume of paper sludge is discharging from paper mill Murugaboopathy "SEM and EDX Analysis
daily. These discarded paper sludge is clogging the pores of the land, when it is of Waste Paper Sludge Ash and Cement"
disposed over the land and thus creating the environmental pollution and Published in
illness to the peoples. Therefore, it is planned to examine the possibilities to International Journal
utilize the waste paper sludge ash for the manufacturing of concrete in the of Trend in Scientific
construction industries for the replacement of cement. In this works, it is Research and
planned to perform the SEM and EDX analysis for the paper sludge ash Development (ijtsrd),
obtained from paper mill. It contains. ISSN: 2456-6470,
Volume-4 | Issue-5, IJTSRD32963
On the basis of the results obtained by performing the SEM and EDX analysis,
August 2020, pp.763-
it was observed that the size of the waste paper sludge ash is less than 50µ and
765, URL:
the waste paper sludge ash contains large amount of oxides of calcium, silica
www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd32963.pdf
and aluminium. The components and their proportions of the minerals of the
waste paper sludge ash is very resembles with the cement. Hence, it is
Copyright © 2020 by author(s) and
suggested that the waste paper sludge ash could be replaced for the partial
International Journal of Trend in Scientific
replacement of cement for making concrete. Also, the size of the waste paper
Research and Development Journal. This
sludge ash is less than size of the cement particles and therefore it helps to
is an Open Access article distributed
improve the durability performance of concrete.
under the terms of
KEYWORDS: Waste Paper Sludge, Cement, SEM, EDX the Creative
Commons Attribution
License (CC BY 4.0)
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by
/4.0)
1. INTRODUCTION
In Sivakasi, India, the paper industries recycles large amount with water immediately upon soaking and provides a highly
of Waste Paper Sludge (WPS) in the production of paper alkaline pore solution, which then results in the release of
process and making new paper using the recycled waste. The more reactive phases such asAl 2O3 and SiO2 into the
WPS discharges on the land after recycled in the industries. system[8].
The WPS disposed over the land is producing unhealthy
environment, causing air pollution and land pollution. Therefore, it is planned to examine the mineral size and
Sometimes the WPS has logged the pores of soil media in the components using the SEM and EDX analysis.
underground and thus reducing the percolation of water in
to ground through the pores. Therefore it is necessary to 2. EXPERIMENTAL SET UP:
dispose the WPS in proper manner. 2.1. Experimental set up of SEM:
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis was
The recycling process of paper produces ash which has performed by a JEOL JSM- 6360 electron microscope. For
potential useful application in construction. The WPS SEM imaging to visualize the size and shape of the WPS Ash
contains cementitious properties. Hence the waste paper and Cement samples was placed on a carbon strip attached
sludge ash is used as a construction material [1-3]. While to a SEM brass, extra ash and cement was removed using
comparing with PC, the WPS ash shows different hydration blotting paper and then allowed to dry by putting it under a
and setting behavior [4]. The WPS ash contains considerable mercury lamp for 5 min.
amount of aluminosiliceous materials, majority of which
appear to be combined with calcium [5]. The cement 2.2. Experimental set up of EDX
industries are doing research works with new sustainable The elemental compositions of WPS Ash and Cement were
development policies by using the by-products such as Fly obtained by using Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis
ash, Silica fume , Blast furnace slag, rice husk and quarry (JEOL JSM-6360) at variable pressure scanning electron
dust etc. as active additions in the manufacturing of blended microscope equipped with INCA X-sight Oxford instrument
cement. Furthermost, the utilization of by-products provides facility, at an acceleration voltage of 20 keV.
the benefits of scientific, technical and economic nature such
as improvement in the mechanical performance and 3. SEM AND EDX ANALYSIS:
durability of cement [6]. In this context, it is proposed to 3.1. SEM and EDX analysis of WPS ash sample:
obtain active additions from the industrial by-products [7] Figure 1 shows, the SEM image of the WPS Ash. The overall
other than those traditionally used in the cement industries. morphological shapes of the WPS Ash are spherical and
WPS is a cementitious material in which some constituents rectangular at higher magnification. The average sizes of the
hydrate faster than others. The free lime in the WSA reacts gold nanoparticles were 1-50µm.

@ IJTSRD | Unique Paper ID – IJTSRD32963 | Volume – 4 | Issue – 5 | July-August 2020 Page 763
 International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470
EDX analysis of WPS Ash profile Figure 2 shows strong signal that many chemicals were absorbed on the surface of the
for elemental Ca other signals of chemicals (Si, Al, P, I and Cement and are strongly responsible for the stability of the
Sb). The WPS Ash crystallites display an optical absorption synthesized Cement. The Table 2 shows the mineral
band peaking at 2.15 keV. EDX analysis suggested that many components of the Cement sample.
chemicals were absorbed on the surface of the WPS Ash and
are strongly responsible for the stability of the synthesized
WPS Ash. The Table 1 shows the mineral components of the
WPS Ash sample.

Fig.3: SEM image of the Cement Sample.

Fig.1: SEM image of the WPS Ash Sample.

Fig.4: EDX analysis of Cement sample.

Table 2: Mineral components of the Cement Sample

Fig.2: EDX analysis of WPS Ash Sample. Sl. No. Element Weight (%) Atomic (%)
1 Oxides (O) 38.96 61.57
Table 1: Mineral components of the WPS Ash Sample 2 Sodium (Na) 00.55 00.61
Sl. No. Element Weight (%) Atomic (%) 3 Aluminium (Al) 04.76 04.46
1 Oxides (O) 40.87 66.15 4 Silicon (Si) 08.45 07.60
2 Aluminium (Al) 02.12 02.04 5 Sulphur (S) 01.81 01.43
3 Silicon (Si) 09.03 08.33 6 Potassium (K) 00.87 00.56
4 Phosphorus (P) 00.07 00.06 7 Calcium (Ca) 31.66 19.97
5 Calcium (Ca) 30.63 19.79 8 Iron (Fe) 04.49 02.04
6 Antimony (Sb) 11.91 02.53 9 Antimony (Sb) 08.46 01.76
7 Iodine (I) 05.37 01.10 Total 100.00 100.00
Total 100.00 100.00
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS:
3.2. SEM and EDX analysis of cement sample: The following discussions were made after conducted the
Figure 3 shows, the SEM image of the Cement. The overall elemental analysis of the waste paper sludge ash and cement
morphological shapes of the Cement are spherical at higher using SEM and EDX.
magnification. The average sizes of the gold nanoparticles
were 1-100µm. 1. From SEM analyse, it was observed that the size of the
waste paper sludge ash is varying from 1µm - 50µm,
EDX analysis of Cement profile Figure 4 shows strong signal where as the the size of cement particle is varying from
for elemental Ca other signals of chemicals (Si, Na, Al, S, K, Fe 1µm - 100µm. From this SEM analysis, it was observed
and Sb). The Cement crystallites display an optical that the size of the waste paper sludge ash is very small
absorption band peaking at 2.15 keV. EDX analysis suggested than cement particle. The smaller size particle of waste

@ IJTSRD | Unique Paper ID – IJTSRD32963 | Volume – 4 | Issue – 5 | July-August 2020 Page 764
 International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470
paper sludge ash helps to improve the durability of calcium, silicon, aluminium and antimony. The table 3
performance of concrete. shows that majority of the elemental proportions which
2. From EDX analyse, it was observed that the paper sludge is contains in the waste paper sludge ash were very
ash contains strong signal for elemental signals of oxides close to the cement particle (OPC).

Table 3: Comparison of Mineral components of the WPS ash and Cement Sample
Sl. No. Element WPS Ash Cement (OPC)
Weight (%) Atomic (%) Weight (%) Atomic (%)
1 Oxides (O) 40.87 66.15 38.96 61.57
2 Sodium (Na) - - 00.55 00.61
3 Aluminium (Al) 02.12 02.04 04.76 04.46
4 Silicon (Si) 09.03 08.33 08.45 07.60
5 Sulphur (S) - - 01.81 01.43
6 Phosphorus (P) 00.07 00.06 - -
7 Potassium (K) - - 00.87 00.56
8 Calcium (Ca) 30.63 19.79 31.66 19.97
9 Iron (Fe) - - 04.49 02.04
10 Antimony (Sb) 11.91 02.53 08.46 01.76
11 Iodine (I) 05.37 01.10 - -
Total 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

5. CONCLUSION: hydration of wastepaper sludge ash–ground

A. The size of the mineral admixtures available in the granulated blastfurnace slag blended pastes, Cem.
Paper Sludge ash sample is very finer than the size of the Concr. Res. 33 (8) (2003) 1189–1202.
mineral particles of the Cement and hence it is observed
[6] S. Wild, J. M. Kinuthia, G. I. Jones, D. D. Higgins,
that the finer particles of the paper sludge ash degrease
Suppression of swelling associated with ettringite
the pores of the concrete matrix and thus increasing the
formation in lime stabilized sulphate bearing clay soils
durability performance.
by partial substitution of lime with ground granulated
B. The paper sludge ash contains large amount Oxides of
blast furnace slag (GGBS), Eng. Geol. 51 (4) (1999)
Silicon and Calcium. It is maintaining the strength
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