AMPRI Bhopal Converts Red Mud into X-ray shielding tiles

CSIR- Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (AMPRI) has converted red mud into X-ray shielding tiles in a green and economically viable manner through a ceramic route by adding a certain weight percentage of high Z material and binder with it.

• The 12 mm thick tiles possess an attenuation equal to 2.1 mm lead at 100 kV.

Red Mud

• Red Mud is the waste generated in the Bayer process of alumina production from bauxite. It is also known as bauxite residue.

• Red Mud is defined as a “High Volume Low Effect Waste”. Nearly 1 to 1.5 tonnes of RM is being generated while producing one tonne of alumina from the bauxite ore through the Bayer process.

• It is considered to be toxic due to its extreme alkalinity and heavy element leaching. Annually about 175 million tonnes of red mud have been generated globally and stored in a specially designed clay-lined pond.

• Among that India is producing nearly 9 million tonnes of red mud every year.

• The clay-lined ponds often broke out and pollute soil, groundwater, and air and become fatal for both humans and wildlife.

• Only 3-4% of red mud has been utilized by the industries to produce cement, bricks, source of iron ore etc., (i.e. 1-1.5 million tonnes (Mt) for cement production, 0.2–1.2 Mt for iron production and 0.5 -1.0 Mtfor building materials and 0.3 Mt for making pigments, catalyst, ceramics, etc.).

• The beneficial utilization of red mud is becoming a global issue. The red mud contains 30 – 55% of Fe2O3, which is suitable for attenuating high-energy ionizing radiations like X- and gamma rays.