Adsorption Properties of Clay and Its Applications in Buildings

Dear Colleagues,

Clays, present in earth extracted from soils, are the oldest binder used by mankind. Earth has been used for building in all continents and climates. Learning from vernacular architecture, clayish earth is one of the most eco-efficient building materials nowadays. Indeed, clay-based materials have low embodied energy and can positively affect the operational energy demand of buildings. Clayish building products are reusable or at least easily recyclable (depending on their stabilization), commonly locally produced (widespread availability), used dry-cured (no need of heating), and can contribute to passive hygrothermal control (thanks to the high thermal inertia and moisture buffer capacity by cyclic adsorption and desorption). Recent research has also investigated their potential to passively remove indoor pollutants such as carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds, as an additional factor possibly related to the high comfort perception of earthen building users.

Thermally treated clays can have pozzolanic reactivity and partially replace common binders, a technology that was used millennia ago. Fired clay-based products are used for building all over the world.

This Special Issue aims to collect and present the latest advances in mechanisms that drive the adsorption properties of clays and related engineered mineral materials. The effect of organic and inorganic stabilizations of clay-based materials should also be addressed. This is a cross-sectional topic that needs to be approached by experts in different fields to build a common ground and knowledge on how the mineralogy of clays and the formulation of composites where they are used can affect the adsorption behaviour of clay-based building products. This Special Issue invites submissions that include original scientific research on clay-based materials, stabilized or unstabilized; on their mineralogy and its effects on adsorption capacity; pollutants capture; life cycle assessment (LCA) and costs (LCC); and the possibility of dropping down embodied energy reusing clays.

Dr. Paulina Faria
Dr. Alessandra Ranesi
Guest Editors

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• bio and mineral stabilization of clay-based materials
• clay-based building products
• earth construction
• alkali activation of clays
• hygrothermal regulation
• moisture adsorption
• mineralogy of clays
• pollutant adsorption
• reusability
• recyclability