Energy Efficient Building Materials with Vermiculite Filler

The possibility of obtaining the vermiculite fire treatment at low temperature (burnt vermiculite) is considered in the article. The vermiculite structure features are investigated to reduce the subsequent burn temperature. By X-ray diffraction analysis it is established that the pre-treatment by a salt solution causes a change in the elementary cell of the vermiculite crystalline grid. It allows to receive the extended vermiculite under the lower burn temperature than in case of the ordinary non-treated vermiculite. To show the creation possibility of the building materials with burnt vermiculite the concrete unit weight and strength with gypsum and cement binder are studied. It is determined that the mentioned concrete strength is higher compared to concrete with ordinary vermiculite at the same density of these concretes. The thermal insulation properties are also significantly higher. The light concrete with vermiculite aggregate is used as the thermal-shield enclosing structures in building and structure constructions. The decrease of the vermiculite burn temperature will contribute to reducing the energy intensity of construction as a whole.