MgO/fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) ash blends for 3D printing on vertical surfaces

AbstractFluid catalytic cracking (FCC) ash is a common industrial waste in the crude oil refinery process. In this study, raw FCC ash was incorporated to develop sustainable MgO/FCC ash blends for 3D printing on vertical surfaces. Rheological and tack behaviors of MgO/FCC ash blends were systematically studied, followed by the assessment of mechanical property and hydration products. On this basis, the suitable mixture for 3D printing on the vertical surfaces was determined, and its feasibility was verified with lab-scale 3D printing. Finally, the environmental impact of the developed mixture was estimated through batch leaching and composition tests. This study provides an alternative method to upcycle FCC ash as an ingredient for 3D concrete printing, which brings benefits to both the construction and oil refinery industries. Besides, the rheological, tack, and hydration investigations of the MgO/FCC ash blends guide the future design of similar mixtures with upcycled wastes.Keywords: fluid catalytic cracking (FCC)3D concrete printingsustainabilityrheologytackiness Disclosure statementThe authors declare no conflict of interest.Additional informationFundingThis research is supported by the National Research Foundation, Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore under its Medium-Sized Centre funding scheme, CES_SDC Pte Ltd, and Chip Eng Seng Corporation Ltd. The authors would like to thank Xiangyu Wang and Lining Wang for their assistance in the 3D printing experiment. The authors would also like to thank ECO Special Waste Management Pte. Ltd., Singapore for providing the FCC ash for this research study.