Carbon fiber (CF) is predominantly produced from fossil-based sources and is therefore an area of interest for further development towards a more sustainable society. The purpose of this thesis work was to investigate the possibility of producing precursor fibers (PFs) for CF production from a blend of renewable cellulose andlignin. Cellulose, which is used to some extent for CF production, was chosen, while the possibility of adding lignin was investigated in hope of increasing the gravimetric yield of the CF production. Blends of softwood kraft cellulose pulp (SKP) and softwood kraft lignin (SKL) were dissolved in an alkaline (NaOH) solvent system at different cellulose/lignin ratios. A total of eight dopes were prepared (SKP/SKL ratios of 100/0–60/40 wt./wt.) with total dope concentrations ranging from 4.5 wt.% to 9.2 wt.%. The addition of SKL resulted in dark colored dopes with viscosities of which mainly appeared to depend on the SKP concentration. The dopes were wet spun, resulting in continuously spun PFs. The PFs showed on an increasing pyrolysis yield with increased SKL content but decreasing mechanical properties. However, process optimization was not included in the work, subsequently leading to the assumption that greater values on mechanical properties can be achieved. A pure SKP PF and a SKP-SKL (70/30 wt./wt.) PF were successfully thermally converted into CFs by carbonization at 1000 °C. The PF containing SKL had a total gravimetric yield more than twice as high as the pure SKP PF, 28 wt.% and 12 wt.%, respectively. Thereby, the addition of SKL seems to have a positive impact on the CF yield when utilizing a NaOH(aq) solvent system. This thesis work has become a base for the future work towards the development of CFs from wet spun cellulose-lignin PFs in the NaOH(aq) solvent system.

This thesis explores the posibility of using of foundry filter ash for production of inorganic composite materials, that could be used primary in the construction industry. The thesis is divided into theoretical and experimental section, where theoretical section contain literature review of used materials and the experimental section summarizes the results of laboratory tests performed on tested mixture based on portland and alumina cement with various content of foundry filter ash. For comparison was also used another foundry waste - foundry sand. Prepared test bodies with dimension of 40 x 40x 160 mm was subjected to mechanical strength tests and the influence of amount of foundry waste on the strenght of the prepared mixtures was monitored. Next the thesis deals with possibilities of alkaline activation of foundry waste, where sodium water glass, sodium hydroxide and commercially supplied baucis L 160 component B were used as alkaline activator. These test mixtures were also subjected to mechanical strenght tests and the influence of amount of foundry waste on the strenght was observed too. The analysis of input materials were performed by XRF, TG – DTA – EGA and XRD powder diffraction methods. All strength tests were tested by testing equipment desttest 4310.

Considering increasing manufacture of metallic materials made in foundries increases also production of waste foundry sands. Foundry sands that remain after moulding and can not be reused in the prouction process anymore are usually not recycled nowadays and in the better cases they are clasified as a fill materials. These secondary raw materials are produced in relatively big amounts. Thats why is apropriate to search for their effective reuse. One of the possibilities is using of this materials in buliding industry. Thanks to their constitution and properties we can consider the possibilties of an alkaline activation, additional source to alkalit activated systems or like part of refractories.

This master's thesis covers an investigation of the reduction behavior of different iron oxides when electrolytically reduced with molten salt electrolysis (MSE). The tested iron oxides were wüstite (FeO), hematite (Fe2O3), magnetite (Fe3O4) and magnetite ore concentrate from the Tapuli deposit in Pajala, Norrbotten, Sweden. The properties of the Tapuli magnetite ore and magnetite ore concentrate were analysed from a mineralogical perspective to evaluate how the raw ore material influences the concentrate and its reduction by the MSE technology. The electrolytic experiments were performed in an Inconel 625 cell body within a pit-furnace. The different iron oxides were tested separately. The reduction samples were constructed of one or three iron oxide briquettes of 20 g each within a molybdenum mesh attached on a molybdenum tray with molybdenum wires. The molten electrolyte was kept at 500°C with an applied voltage of 1.7 or 2.1 V. The used electrolyte was sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The mineralogical examination shows that the Tapuli ore varies in composition between different locations of the deposit with respect to magnetite grain size and skarn composition and grain size. Point analyses with Laser Ablation Single Collector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-SC-ICP-MS) on magnetite grains in thin sections from five drill cores fromdifferent parts of the deposit show that the element composition in the magnetite grains vary between the samples. Core-to-rim analyses for Fe, Mg, Mn and Al reveal relatively homogenous grades throughout the grains, with a few exceptions. Phase analysis with XRD shows that reduction has occurred in all tested iron oxides. Without prevention, the reduction products from trials on Fe2O3, Fe3O4 and magnetite ore concentrate show distinct XRD peaks of the by-product NaFeO2. According to XRD, the addition of Na2O seems to have reduced the NaFeO2 formation. Interestingly, no NaFeO2 was formed in the FeO trials. This might be explained by the absence of Fe3+ in FeO. The variation of the current-time curves of the trials is interpreted to depend on the voltage applied, the number of briquettes, briquette decomposition and Na2O addition. Electrolysis in molten NaOH can be used to reduce iron oxides. Despite this, NaOH might not be a suitable electrolyte for this process due to its interaction with Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 resulting information of NaFeO2. Na2O can be used as an additive to prevent formation of NaFeO2 but sharply decreases the current response, thus having an apparent negative effect on the process efficiency. Another preventive measure that can be tested is to calibrate the process voltage to decompose the NaFeO2 but not NaOH. Due to the shown interaction tendency of NaOH, other electrolytes should however be considered for this process. Regarding the Tapuli ore concentrate, more tests are needed to draw conclusions about how the trace elements effects its electrolytic behavior. / Denna masteruppsats avhandlar en undersökning av reduktionsbeteendet hos olika järnoxider vid elektrolytisk reduktion i saltsmälta (molten salt electrolysis (MSE)). Järnoxiderna som har testats är wüstit (FeO), hematit (Fe2O3), magnetit (Fe3O4) och magnetitmalmkoncentrat från malmfyndigheten Tapuli i Pajala, Norrbotten, Sverige. Malmkoncentratets egenskaper har analyserats ur mineralogisk synvinkel för att utvärdera hur den råa malmens mineralogi påverkar koncentratet och dess reduktionsbeteende vid elektrolys i saltsmälta. Elektrolysexperimenten utfördes i cellkropp av Inconel 625 placerad i en gropugn. De olika järnoxiderna testades separat. Reduktionsproverna utgjordes av en eller tre järnoxidbriketter på 20 g inuti ett molybdennät, fastvirade på en molybdenbricka med molybdentråd. Den smälta elektrolyten hölls vid en temperatur av 500°C med en applicerad spänning av 1.7 eller 2.1 V. Elektrolyten som användes var natriumhydroxid (NaOH). Den mineralogiska undersökningen visar att tapulimalmens sammansättning varierar mellan olika delar av fyndigheten med avseende på magnetitens kornstorlek och skarnets sammansättning och kornstorlek. Punktanalyser med Laser Ablation Single Collector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-SC-ICP-MS) på magnetitkorn i tunnslip från fem olika borrkärnor visar att elementkoncentrationerna i magnetitkornen varierar mellan proverna. Core-to-rim-analyser på magnetitkornen visar att halterna av Fe, Mg, Mn och Al är tämligen homogena genom hela magnetitkornet med undantag av några få avvikande punkter. Fasanalys med XRD indikerar att reduktion har skett i alla försök. Utan prevention visar reduktionsprodukterna från försöken på Fe2O3, Fe3O4 och magnetitmalmkoncentrat klara indikationer av biprodukten NaFeO2. Enligt XRD verkar tillsats av Na2O ha minskat bildningen av Na2O för Fe2O3, Fe3O4 och Tapuli magnetitmalmkoncentrat. Intressant är att ingen NaFeO2 bildades i försöken med FeO. Förklaringen till detta skulle kunna vara avsaknaden av Fe3+ i FeO. De varierande ström-tidkurvorna från försöken tolkas bero på den applicerade spänningen, antalet briketter, brikettsönderdelning och tillsats av Na2O. Elektrolys i smält NaOH kan användas för att reducera järnoxider. Trots detta kanske NaOH inte är lämplig som elektrolyt i denna process, detta på grund av dess påvisade interaktion med Fe2O3 och Fe3O4 som resulterar i bildning av NaFeO2. Na2O kan tillsättas för att förhindra bildning av NaFeO2 men har en kraftigt negativ effekt på strömstyrkan i processen vilket minskar processens effektivitet. En annan preventiv åtgärd som kan testas är att kalibrera processens spänning så att NaFeO2 sönderdelas men inte NaOH. På grund av den konstaterade interaktionstendensen hos NaOH bör andra elektrolyter tas i beaktande för denna process. Angående magnetitmalmskoncentratet från Tapuli behövs fler tester för att dra slutsatser kring hur spårelementen påverkar dess uppförande vid smältelektrolys.

The topic of this master's thesis is the development of composite materials based on inorganic binders for use in extreme conditions. It means especially geopolymeric or alkali activated materials (AAM) based composites. The theoretical part of this thesis summarizes knowledges about the development and use of alkali-activated materials, their structure and mechanisms of their formation. It also deals with the applicable raw materials for AAM and their exciters, which are in particular water glass and sodium hydroxide. There also have been a summary of the effects of high temperatures and chemicals on the mechanical properties of AAM and the requirements of standard EN 1504-3 for repairing materials. The task of the practical part was to develop a repair mortar for concrete structures based on AAM so that its production was as simple as possible, ie one-component materials. Gradually six recipes have been develeoped. Test specimens made from these recipes have been putted to selected tests according to the requirements of ČSN EN 1504-3.

Coastal areas in Grenada and the Caribbean are experiencing an abundance of stranded macroalgae. Climate change and eutrophication are probable causes of this inconvenience. This leads to logistic and economic dilemmas for the Caribbean societies. Research of methods to benefit from the algal bloom is therefore valuable for a sustainable future in these countries. Studies of biogas and fertilizer production are initiated around the world, but a large scale production is absent. Therefore, this thesis scrutinize the requirements for producing biofertilizer from biogas by examine the content of macroalgae and the conditions in Grenada. To achieve this, a literature study and a miniature biogas experiment were conducted. Grenada would presumably benefit from substituting synthetic fertilizer with biofertilizer from macroalgae utilized in biogas production. The positive aspects includes the recirculation of nutrients, development of renewable energy and autonomous fertilizer production. Further research of the definite macroalgae content is essential to determine the exact extent and conditions of the fertilizer utilization. / Kustområden i Grenada och Karibien är drabbat av större mängder strandade makroalger. Klimatförändringar och övergödning är de huvudsakliga orsakerna till denna olägenhet. Detta leder till logistiska och ekonomiska problem för samhällen i Karibien. Det är därför av värde att forska på metoder för att försöka nyttja algblomningen, för en hållbar framtid i dessa länder. Studier på biogasproduktion och gödselmedelstillverkning av makroalger har utvecklats på senare tid, men en storskalig produktion är fortfarande frånvarande. Därför ska denna avhandling granska kriterierna för att använda biogödsel från biogasproduktion genom att undersöka makroalgernas innehåll, och Grenadas förutsättningar för att genomföra detta. För att uppnå detta så har en litteraturstudie och ett mindre biogasexperiment genomförts. Grenada skulle förmodligen dra fördel av att byta ut syntetiskt gödningsmedel med biogödningsmedel från biogasproduktion med makroalger. De positiva aspekterna av detta är recirkulationen av näringsämnen, etablering av förnyelsebara energikällor, samt självständig gödselproduktion. Vidare forskning på det exakta innehållet i makroalger är väsentligt för att kunna bestämma utsträckningen och förhållandena för gödselmedelsanvändningen.