Projects

National

BIOGEOAP – Aplikácia nových biouhlím funkcionalizovaných geopolymérov pri nakladaní s nebezpečným odpadom
Application of novel biochar-functionalized geopolymers in hazardous waste management
Program: SRDA
Project leader: Ing. Slaný Michal, PhD.
Annotation: Environmental pollution is an eminent, ever-present problem for mankind, jeopardizing the health of humans, ecosystems, and the environment. Extreme population growth and the associated rapid demand for agricultural activities, rapid industrialization, and increased waste production contribute to the contamination of soil due to the accumulation of heavy metals and also radionuclides. There is now an extremely growing need to find novel, environmentally friendly and low-cost materials from abundant resources that could be used to immobilize these dangerous substances. The main objective of the proposed project is to develop novel biochar functionalized aluminosilicate-based geopolymers that will be highly effective in immobilizing heavy metals and radionuclides. In order to achieve this goal, it is necessary to study in detail the influence of various factors not only by using experimental techniques such as FTIR, XRD, BET-N2 adsorption, TGA/DSC, PET, ICP-MS, but also by testing the developed material under real environmental conditions and using a construction solidification line, especially in the context of meeting the acceptability criteria for their application in the practice of hazardous waste disposal and potentially as “grey” building materials. The proposed project objectives focus on new applications and on previously unexplored leapfrog solutions that will answer the most important questions as well as research and technological development needs, including those that are important on a global scale. This project design can make a significant contribution to the integration of new knowledge in the field of geopolymer composite materials and manufacturing technologies. The proposed project and its outputs have the potential to gain support in sectoral and multi-sectoral applications and to have a strong impact on environmental protection as well as soil and plant quality improvement, which is also closely related to human health.
Duration: 1.9.2025 – 31.8.2029