Apexel’s nanotechnology is recycling slag with sand not cement materials through nanotechnology of pulverizing silica-pozzolan into super-micro particles sized less than 10nm, and mix them with water and add slag to the mixed results.

Seoul, KOREA ¶ Jul 03, 2012 (Whowired) -- Apexel, an expert in nanotechnology based in Korea, developed a commercial technology to create slag sand from iron byproducts and utilize it as a replacement for natural sand. Apexel said on Jul 2 that it has succeeded in developing high performance slag sand from blast furnace slag using its nanotechnology to replace natural sand.

Blast furnace slag is a byproduct wasted from the process of making molten metal in furnace. Usually, 330kg of blast furnace slag is generated in making 1 ton of molten metal. So far, local iron companies such as Posco have had a headache with the disposal of slag wastes since it has become impossible to bury them under the sea. Apexel’s nanotechnology is recycling slag with sand not cement materials through nanotechnology of pulverizing silica-pozzolan into super-micro particles sized less than 10nm, and mix them with water and add slag to the mixed results.  

Slag sand has many advantages. Thanks to its strong solidity for a long period of time, it can reduce the amount of cement applied by 10 to 15% compared to using normal sand. It is also highly resistant to abrasion and cracks. Most of all, it is costly effective over natural sand because it is produced from wasted slag. Kang dae-il, Executive Director of Apexel emphasized that since nano-typed silica-pozzolan prevents magnesium oxide expansion which has been a factor to degrade qualities of slag cement, the newly developed technology is able to create a high performance slag.

Adrian Han (press@whowired.com)