Synthesis and characterization of high saline water resistant sulphur composite from petrochemical waste

Abstract

Petrochemical industry produces variety of side products and waste materials like sulphur, spent catalysts, spent adsorbents, etc. These waste materials can be converted to the value-added products by forming their composites with unique properties. For example, sulphur due to its chemical properties like high resistivity to corrosive environment, hydrophobic nature, antifungal property, its composite can be prepared and used in construction industries as a substitute for cement composite material. To explore the unique properties of sulphur, we synthesized the sulphur composite herein using an elemental sulphur and spent zeolitic catalyst from refinery waste. While synthesizing the sulphur composites, we used organic compound 1, 5 cyclo octadiene as sulfur modifier to enhance the binding property of as synthesized sulphur composite. For performance evaluation, we prepared the specimens of sulphur and cement composite of similar dimensions and submerged them in sea water for 7, 21, 45, 60, 90, and 120 days. Performance of these specimens for saline water resistivity were studied by the change in their relative weight, compressive strength, change in crystalline phase of composition by X-Ray diffraction analysis, bending and stretching vibrations through Fourier-Transform-Infra-Red (FT-IR) spectroscopy, microstructure surface changes using scanning electron microscope (SEM), before and after their
immersion in sea water. Results obtained from this study indicate that the sulphur composites have higher compressive strength and chemical stability compared to cement composites. Such sulphur composites hold promise to be used to construct the civil structures particularly in corrosive environmental conditions such as of saline water.