Department of Material Structure and Properties study the relationships between the structure and properties of inorganic and organic materials, their preparation and processing, using experiments and mathematic modeling. Research topics is focused on a) vitrification processes, melting processes of various types of glass, including special glass types for photonics, b) aluminium silicate bonding agents and the fixation of inorganic waste in a geopolymer matrix, and c) technologies for processing of organic wastes into usable products. The department includes the Laboratory of Inorganic Materials , which is a joint research centre with the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague.
Research topics is focused on a) vitrification processes, melting processes of various types of glass, including special glass types for photonics, b) aluminium silicate bonding agents and the fixation of inorganic waste in a geopolymer matrix, and c) technologies for processing of organic wastes into usable products. The Department includes the Laboratory of Inorganic Materials , which is a joint research centre with the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague.
1. Modelling of glass melting processes Research works are focused on the design and application of advanced technologies and relevant glass melting spaces under conditions leading to a reduction in energy consumption and a substantial increase in melting performance or to miniaturized compact melting spaces.
2. Batch to glass conversion and vitrification The ultimate goal of our batch melting studies is to develop an advanced batch to glass conversion model and incorporate it in the full CFD glass melting or vitrification space model as its integral component. We are performing studies to investigate the processes occurring during the batch melting and analyze the batch thermal and mechanical properties to solve the heat and mass balance.
3. Special glasses for infrared radiation Research of special heavy metal oxide glasses and chalcogenide glasses capable of transmitting radiation at longer wavelengths compared to conventional glasses based on classic glass-forming oxides SiO2 and B2O3. Characterization of physicochemical properties of new glassy materials with emphasis on their optical transmittance and, in the case of glasses doped with rare earth ions, also on their photoluminescence properties.
4. Novel geopolymers Preparation of geopolymer materials; study of reaction conditions and determination of properties of formed solidificates; characterization of raw materials for the preparation of geopolymer materials and the use of new non-traditional sources of raw materials; solidification and inhibition of hazardous waste; design of possible application of geopolymer composite according to specified properties, X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF).
Collaboration with American laboratories has helped to develop further contacts with the world's leading workplaces in the field - an exchange program of students and staff.
Georgi Nadjakov Institute of Solid State Physics,
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Establishment of cooperation with the University of Mines ParisTech and the research centre CEA Marcoule: Researcher Team members were invited to present lectures at the Seminar on Modelling of glass melting processes, held in Marcoule, France, in July 2018. PhD student from ParisTech spent four weeks in our laboratory, working on the topic of bubble behaviour in glass melt. Obtained experimental results are currently analysed and prepared for a common publication.
Team group for "Special glasses for infrared radiation" has developed a broad international cooperation, resulting in the exchange programs and joint publications
Team group for "Special glasses for infrared radiation" has developed a broad international cooperation, resulting in the exchange programs and joint publications
Team group for "Special glasses for infrared radiation" has developed a broad international cooperation, resulting in the exchange programs and joint publications
Joint project was launched in mid-2013. The project aims to substantially reduce energy consumption in glass melting process and increase efficiencies operated melting furnaces. The task of the Czech team is to seek and find the conditions under which in industrial melting furnaces exercise control the flow of the melt. Grant's partner is a Czech Glass Service Inc.
Yıldız Technical University, Istanbul
(Turkey)
Modelling of glass melting processes-optimizing of a melter for vitrification of a radioactive waste.
Collaboration with American laboratories has helped to develop further contacts with the world's leading workplaces in the field - included internships of team members and students at PNNL and visiting researchers from PNNL and TITECH in our laboratory. Team of PhD students spent 12 months at PNNL. The joint work in Prague and in Richland brought a large amount of experimental results, which resulted in successful defence of thesis in 2019 and five publications mostly in the first and second quartile journals. During 2018-2019, a PNNL researcher worked reciprocally on his post-doc project in our laboratory. The project focused on the topic of batch to glass conversion, and was fully financed by US Department of Energy (US DOE). The collaboration with PNNL resulted in about 15 scientific publications published mostly in the first quartile journals. The increasing prestige of the joint international team led to the preparation of the paper entitled "Modeling Batch Melting: Roles of Heat Transfer and Reaction", which was published at the end of 2019 as an Invited Feature Article (including a cover Photo) in the Journal of the American Ceramic Society, a journal of the first quartile in the category Materials Science - Ceramics.
Boron nitride: Novel ceramic reductant for low-activity waste vitrification
2024
Publication: Rigby J., Marcial J., Pokorny R., Kloužek J., Han K., Washton N., Ferkl P., Hrma P., Scrimshire A., Bingham P., Hall M., Eaton W., Kruger A. (2024): Boron Nitride: Novel ceramic reductant for low-activity waste vitrification. Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Volume108, Issue 2, 20192. https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.20192
Alkali-activated geopolymers based on calcined phosphate sludges and metakaolin
2024
Publication: Karoui O., Andrejkovičová S., Pato P., Patinha C., Perná I., Řimnáčová D., Hajjaji W., Ascenão G., Rocha F., Mlayah A. (2024): Alkali‑activated geopolymers based on calcined phosphate sludges and metakaolin. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 31, 45138–45161. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-34025-y
Mechanical and thermal properties of geopolymers derived from metakaolin with iron mine waste
2024
Publication: Santos A., Andrejkovičová S., Perná I., Almeida F.., Rocha F. (2024): Mechanical and thermal properties of geopolymers derived from metakaolin with iron mine waste. Applied Clay Science 258, 107452. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2024.107452
Metakaolin-based geopolymer formation and properties: The influence of the maturation period and environment (air, demineralized and sea water)
2024
Publication: Perná I., Novotná M., Hanzlíček T., Šupová M., Řimnáčová D. (2024): Metakaolin-based geopolymer formation and properties: The influence of the maturation period and environment (air, demineralized and sea water). Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry 134, 415–424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiec.2024.01.005
Physico-mechanical properties of geopolymers after thermal exposure: Influence of filler, temperature and dwell time
2024
Publication: Perná I., Zárybnická L., Mácová P., Šupová M., Ševčík R. (2024): Physico-mechanical properties of geopolymers after thermal exposure: Influence of filler, temperature and dwell time. Construction and Building Materials 451, 138893. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2024.138893
The effect of carbonization temperature on textural properties of sewage sludge-derived biochars as potential adsorbents
2024
Publication: Řimnáčová D., Bičáková O., Moško J., Straka P., Čimová N. (2024): The effect of carbonization temperature on textural properties of sewage sludge-derived biochars as potential adsorbents. Journal of Environmental Management 359, 120947. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120947
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Geopolymer-based grinding stones utilizable in metal machining
2023
A clay-slag geopolymer with corundum grains was first time used to prepare novel abrasive tools for metal grinding. The results have proven that, in case of metal grinding, a geopolymer matrix can substitute for ceramic binder in grinding tools. The geopolymer grinding stones are an opportunity to sustainable development of a new generation of abrasive materials which utilize waste materials, save primary raw material resources and energy consumption and has a minimum impact on the environment. The result was achieved in cooperation with the industrial company I&AAT s.r.o., Bustehrad - Kladno.
Publication: Perná I., Hanzlíček T., Lučaník A., Šupová M. (2023): Geopolymer-based grinding stones utilizable in metal machining. Construction and Building Materials 363, 129869. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.129869
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Fig. General view of a ground seam steel tube.
Effect of sucrose on the oxidation-reduction conditions and retention of rhenium during vitrification of low-activity waste
2023
Khawand J., Kloužek J., Vernerová M., Cincibusová P., Hrma P., Kruger A., Pokorný R. (2023): Effect of sucrose on the oxidation-reduction conditions and retention of rhenium during vitrification of low-activity waste. Journal of Nuclear Materials. 573 (January 2023), 154155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2022.154155
Degradation Processes of Medieval and Renaissance Glazed Ceramics
2023
Kolářová M., Kloužková A., Kohoutková M., Kloužek J., Dvořáková P. (2023): Degradation Processes of Medieval and Renaissance Glazed Ceramics. Materials. 16 (1), 375. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16010375
Alternative reductants for foam control during vitrification of high-iron High Level Waste (HLW) feeds
2023
Rigby J.C., Dixon D.R., Kloužek J., Pokorný R., Thompson P.B.J., Scrimshire A., Kruger A.A., Bell A.M.T., Bingham P.A. (2023): Alternative reductants for foam control during vitrification of high-iron High Level Waste (HLW) feeds. Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids. 608, 122240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2023.122240
Effect of material properties on batch-to-glass conversion kinetics.
2023
Ferkl P., Hrma P., Kloužek J., Kruger A., Pokorný R. (2023): Effect of material properties on batch-to-glass conversion kinetics. International Journal of Applied Glass Science. 14, 491-501. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijag.16631
Transient melt formation and its effect on conversion phenomena during nuclear waste vitrification – HT-ESEM analysis
2023
Pokorný R., Vernerová M., Kloužek J., Cincibusová P., Kohoutková M., Pezl R., Ferkl P., Hrma P., Podor R., Schuller S., Kruger A. (2023): Transient Melt Formation and its Effect on Conversion Phenomena during Nuclear Waste Vitrification – HT-ESEM Analysis. Journal of the American Ceramic Society. 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.19361
Cold-cap structure in a slurry-fed electric melter
2023
Ferkl P., Hrma P., Kloužek J., Kruger A., Pokorný R. (2023): Cold-cap structure in a slurry-fed electric melter. International Journal of Applied Glass Science, 15, 73-87 https://doi.org/10.1111/ijag.16645
Geopolymer-based grinding stones utilizable in metal machining.
2023
Perná I., Hanzlíček T., Lučaník A., Šupová M. (2023): Geopolymer-based grinding stones utilizable in metal machining. Construction and Building Materials 363, 129869 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.129869
The characterization and renovation of parterre floor tiles in the pilgrimage church of St. John of Nepomuk (Czech Republic).
2023
Hanzlíček T., Perná I., Michoinová D., Rafl J. (2023): The characterization and renovation of parterre floor tiles in the pilgrimage church of St. John of Nepomuk (Czech Republic). Case Studies in Construction Materials 19, e02297 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2023.e02297
Biochar as an effective material for acetone sorption and the effect of surface area on the mechanism of sorption
2023
Švábová M. Bičáková O., Vorokhta M. (2023): Biochar as an effective material for acetone sorption and the effect of surface area on the mechanism of sorption. Journal of Environmental Management 348, 119205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119205
Thermal, optical, structural, and electrical properties of ZnO–MoO3–TeO2 glasses
2023
Miray Celikbilek Ersundu, Ali Ercin Ersundu, Ondrej Bosak, Marian Kubliha, Petr Kostka (2023): Thermal, optical, structural, and electrical properties of ZnO-MoO3-TeO2 glasses. Ceramics International 49, 12950-12958. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2022.12.166
Influence of Silicate Rock Glass Compositions on the Efficacy of Prebiotic RNA Polymerization Reactions: The Case of 3’,5’ Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate.
2023
Šponer J.E., Kloužek J., Výravský J., Wunnava S., Scheu B., Braun D., Mojzsis S.J., Palacký J., Vorlíčková M., Šponer J., Matyášek R., Kovařík A. (2023): Influence of Silicate Rock Glass Compositions on the Efficacy of Prebiotic RNA Polymerization Reactions: The Case of 3’,5’ Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate. ChemSystemsChem. 5. https://doi.org/10.1002/syst.202300016
Transient Melt Formation and its Effect on Conversion Phenomena during Nuclear Waste Vitrification – HT-ESEM Analysis
2023
Pokorný R., Vernerová M., Kloužek J., Cincibusová P., Kohoutková M., Pezl R., Ferkl P., Hrma P., Podor R., Schuller S., Kruger A. (2023): Transient Melt Formation and its Effect on Conversion Phenomena during Nuclear Waste Vitrification – HT-ESEM Analysis. Journal of the American Ceramic Society. https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.19361
Cold-cap structure in a slurry-fed electric melter.
2023
Ferkl P., Hrma P., Kloužek J., Kruger A., Pokorný R. (2023): Cold-cap structure in a slurry-fed electric melter. International Journal of Applied Glass Science. Volume15, Issue, January 2024, 73-87 https://doi.org/10.1111/ijag.16645
Effect of feed composition on the production of off-gases during vitrification of simulated low-activity nuclear waste
2023
Kunc J., Kloužek J., Vernerová M., Cincibusová P., Ferkl P., Hall M., Eaton W., Hrma P., Guillen D., Kruger A., Pokorný R. (2023): Effect of feed composition on the production of off-gases during vitrification of simulated low-activity nuclear waste. Progress in Nuclear Energy. 166, 104932. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2023.104932
A comprehensive study of Power-to-Gas technology: Technical implementations overview, economic assessments, methanation plant as auxiliary operation of lignite-fired power station
2021
This work is focused on the evaluation of technical implementations and related techno-economic aspects, the usability of CO2 sources, and possibility of mass deployment of Power-to-Gas technology (P-t-G), with energy storage being the primary objective. For P-t-G, to ensure a low price of surplus electricity is quite necessary. A possible way is to eliminate the regulated electricity distribution fees by associating a methanation plant with the main CO2-producing plant. The methanation plant will then be an auxiliary plant (auxiliary operation) with its own technological consumption and will be exempt from fees. Further, because attractiveness and competitiveness of P-t-G depends on interconnectedness with other technologies, the use of P-t-G as an auxiliary operation of lignite-fired station with nominal capacity of 110 MWhel was evaluated. As a result, the discounted payback period 3.8 (for a discount rate 8%) or 5.1 (for a discount rate 15%) years was calculated. These and other indicators show that the lignite-fired power plant's investment in P-t-G can have a good return.
Publication: Straka Pavel: A comprehensive study of Power-to-Gas technology: Technical implementations overview, economic assessments, methanation plant as auxiliary operation of lignite-fired power station. Journal of Cleaner Production 311, 2021, 127642. Doi: doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127642
obr.: Power-to-Gas-technology2
Model for batch-to-glass conversion: coupling the heat transfer with conversion kinetics
2022
This study describes the batch-to-glass conversion model for a container glass melting furnace. The model accounts for the relationship between the temperature history of the batch particles, batch properties, and the rate of melting by coupling the heat transfer and batch conversion kinetics models. The heat transfer within the batch is modeled by a spatially one-dimensional, convective-conductive heat balance, while the conversion kinetics is described using stretched exponential, differential Avrami, and Šesták–Berggren models based on silica dissolution data. Spolupracující subjekt: VŠCHT Praha, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (USA), U.S. Department of Energy (USA)
Publication: Ferkl, P., Hrma, P., Kloužek, J., Vernerová, M., Kruger, A.A., Pokorný, R.: Model for batch-to-glass conversion: coupling the heat transfer with conversion kinetics. Journal of Asian Ceramic Societies 9, 652-664 (2021). DOI: doi.org/10.1111/jace.17406
Scheme of the floating batch structure in fossil-fuel fired furnaces, the top surface is inclined, and the material is continuously removed by ablation. The red dashed line illustrates an approximate temperature profile, T; Q is the heat flux and L is the reaction zone thickness. Subscripts S, R, B, T, FO, and MB correspond to the core zone, core zone-reaction zone interface, batch bottom, batch top, foam onset, and bulk melt
Modified Geopolymers for the Photocatalytic Dye Decomposition.
2022
Novotná M., Knotek P., Hanzlíček T., Kutálek P., Perná I., Melánová K., Černošková E., Kopecká K. (2021): TiO2 Modified Geopolymers for the Photocatalytic Dye Decomposition. Crystals 11(12), 1511. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst11121511
Conversion degree and heat transfer in the cold cap and their effect on glass production rate in an electric melter
2023
The predictive model of melt rate in waste glass vitrification operations is needed to inform melter operations during normal and off-normal operations. the development of a model of the cold cap describes that couples heat transfer with the feed to glass conversion kinetics. The model was applied to four melter feeds designed for high-level and low-activity nuclear waste feeds using the material properties, either measured or estimated, to obtain temperature and conversion distribution within the cold cap. The cold cap model, when coupled with a computational fluid dynamics model of a Joule-heated glass melter, allows the prediction of the glass production rate and power consumption. The results show reasonable agreement with the melting rates measured during pilot-scale melter tests. Publication: Ferkl P., Hrma P., Abboud A., Guillen D., Vernerová M., Kloužek J., Hall M., Kruger A.A., Pokorný R. (2023): Conversion degree and heat transfer in the cold cap and their effect on glass production rate in an electric melter. International Journal of Applied Glass Science 14, 318-329. doi: 10.1111/ijag.16615
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Fig. Energy balance of glass strain melting in a melting unit for radioactive waste vitrification
Viscosity determination of liquid substances. Heating of organic/inorganic materials under various conditions up to 1000 °C with capture of all products formed (solid, liquid and gas), determination of mass balance.
Electric laboratory unit with stationary bed (own construction)
Gas chromatography analyses
Determination
Gas analysis: Ar, CO, CO2, H2, N2, O2, C1-C6, H2S, CH3SH; composition evaluation and calculation of physical properties by physical constants (low and high calorific value, density, Wobbe index) (CSN 385509)
