Material Development

With environmental pollution due to improper solid waste management strategies, industries look solutions in recycling waste materials to minimize landfills. We conduct research in manufacturing technical textile (geo textile) from the textile off cuts, which had being a crucial problem in Sri Lankan Textile manufacturing industries. Apart from the latter study, waste plastic pyrolysis is also studied in an on going project as a solution for low degrading plastics. The studies are conducted to check feasibility on fuel oil production from municipal plastic wastes by catalytic pyrolysis process.

• Manufacturing a geo‐textile using fabric off‐cuts
• Synthesis of hydrocarbon fuels using waste plastics

Rice husk ash (RHA) is a largely produced as a by product at the power generation in burning rice husk in boilers. It has very effective pozzolanic properties that can be used as a construction material. Two main ongoing researches focuses on using RHS as a substitute material production of garden tiles and the other study focuses on silica extraction. The first one checks for optimal level of replacement of sand and cement in garden tile production and the later one checks on suitability of chemical methods of silica extraction in RHA.

• Use of paddy husk ash in production of garden tiles
• Valorization of paddy husk ash through silica extraction

Pyroplasticity is the tendency of the material to deform under its own weight, during its firing. Deformation is related to properties of liquid phases formed during firing. In this study phase transformations and chemical reactions of porcelain body during firing process is studied. Variation of process parameters and material composition is studied to minimize pyroplasticity in ceramic tiles in mass scale production.

• Investigation of most significant compound for pyro‐plasticity of porcelain tiles though an experimental design

Projects carried under this research theme aims on developing value added products which are synthesized using dolomite lime for industrial purposes. Project is at near completion possessing two PhDs within this project. About six patents were filed and more than 12 journal papers were published. Also this accommodates undergraduate research projects as well.

Natural fibres are widely used as substitute materials for making roofing sheets at present. Manufacture roofing sheets with comparable mechanical properties by using coir fibres and to determine the material properties of coir corrugated sheets are studied throughout the projects.

• Natural fibres as substitutes for asbestos