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A comparative study of the thermal behaviour of phosphate washing sludge from Tunisia and Morocco

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Abstract

The aim of the present work is to characterize the phosphate sludge from two different countries: Morocco and Tunisia, and to study the difference between their thermal behavior, this may contribute to their valorization as an alternative raw material for ceramic and building materials industries. Mineralogical transformation during calcination at different temperatures of two different phosphate sludges from two different countries: Morocco and Tunisia were investigated. The two sludges were chemically and mineralogically studied with X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). After calcination at different temperatures, 600 °C, 700 °C, 900 °C, 1000 °C and 1100 °C, the mineralogy transformation was studied. The effects of the composition on the crystallization behaviour of new phases and the disappearance of others were investigated. The results showed an important difference in the thermal behaviour of the two sludges during calcination, based on the newly formed phases at the different temperatures and specially at the range of high temperatures (900–1100°C).

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Abbreviations

XRF:

X-ray fluorescence

XRD:

X-ray diffraction

TG:

Thermal gravity

DTG:

Differential thermal gravimetric

SEM:

Scanning electronic microscopy

TS:

Tunisian Sludge

MS:

Moroccan Sludge

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the CPG and OPC company for providing us the phosphate sludges. Special thanks to the financial support of the Tunisia-Morocco Project CMPTM 17 TM 14.

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Correspondence to Rawia Dabbebi or Samir Baklouti.

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Harech, M.A., Dabbebi, R., Abouliatim, Y. et al. A comparative study of the thermal behaviour of phosphate washing sludge from Tunisia and Morocco. J Therm Anal Calorim 147, 5677–5686 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-021-10936-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-021-10936-7

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