Member presentation
The most important areas of our research activities are focused on:
- establishment of a circular economy by recycling of secondary raw materials (industrial, construction, municipal and mining waste)
- development of sustainable innovative new materials such as nano materials, organic-inorganic composites, coatings, materials recycled from waste
- study of degradation processes in order to improve functionality and durability of materials
- energy efficiency in buildings
- earthquake engineering: test methods and analytical techniques for recovery after an earthquake
- development in the field of geotechnics, road and rail infrastructure
- investigations in the field of fire properties of materials and structures
- preservation of cultural heritage
- environmental assessment (LCA, LCC)
Contact details
FOCUS AREA
H2020 CINDERELA
The project aims to develop a new Circular Economy Business Model on the level of Municipality of Maribor for use of secondary raw materials in urban areas, connecting different industries, the construction sector and municipal services, decision makers and the general public.
KIC RIS-SPL CYCLE
The project presents a novel type of zero waste technology for the recycling of the hazardous waste – spent pot linings from aluminium production. The recycled products will be used in Al production, in the refractory industry, and in construction sector. The project will establish a circular economy business model with the complete elimination of waste landfiling and incineration costs.
ERA-Min2 FLOW
As part of the project, we want to develop new light alkali-activated foams based on secondary raw materials (slags, ashes, etc.). These products can found use in construction sector (thermal and acoustic insulation, fire doors) and other industries (external protection of machinery or furnaces, floats).
Cel.Cycle
Strategic goal of Cel.Cycle is development and optimisation of new, sustainable processes and technologies to exploit useful biomass components. Those can be beneficial in various production sectors – from chemical, textile, paper, wood processing and automotive industries, construction, energy and engineering – integrated as environmentally acceptable materials and products, highly recyclable and re-usable.
Interreg Slovenija-Italia Retracking
The purpose of the Retracking project is to develop a method for the management of recycling of fibreglass waste, which will comply with European regulations. The model will include identifying the waste material, its analysis, the production of secondary products. At the same time, the traceability of the fiberglass through the entire cycle of recycling from waste to the production of the new product will be established.
Synthesis and characterization of alkali activated foams based on different waste
The main objective of this project is to develop new lightweight alkali-activated foams based on the mixture of various secondary raw materials (fly ash from Thermal plant Šoštanj and different waste glass). Different foaming agents and stabilising agents (in varying proportions) will then be investigated in order to achieve the highest possible porosity (Al powder, H2O2, NaOCl, SDS). In addition to the use of waste materials, the additional advantage of such foams (in comparison to commercially available inorganic foams) will be that they will be produced at temperatures lower than 100 °C, and they will be stable also at elevated temperatures (expected up to 1000 °C).
Foaming process in alkali activated matrix and optimization of properties of synthesized foams
Termit and Slovenian national building and civil engineering institute (ZAG) are researching usefulness of different inert and non-dangerous waste materials, which have after alkali activation high compressive strength – geopolymers. With addition of foaming agents, the compressive strength lowers, but synthesized foams get higher added value due to insulation and non-flammable properties.
Mineral wool waste back to loop with advanced sorting, pre-treatment, and alkali activation
H2020 project WOOL2LOOP solves one of the biggest challenges in the utilization of construction and demolition waste (CDW) by a new approach of circularity. Mineral wool waste within CDW is upgraded into valuable raw materials to be used in new products (ceramic or concrete-type products) and applications prepared with alkali activation technology.