{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,6]],"date-time":"2026-03-06T02:41:19Z","timestamp":1772764879282,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"16","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,15]],"date-time":"2025-08-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1755216000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sustainability"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study addresses the use of porcelain polishing waste as a pyro-expansive agent in clay-based formulations for the production of lightweight aggregates, aiming to reduce the consumption of natural resources and mitigate environmental impacts. In line with circular economy principles and sustainable construction goals, this study investigates the potential use of porcelain polishing waste as a pyro-expansive agent in clay-based formulations for producing sustainable lightweight aggregates. Using the Taguchi method and ANOVA, the effects of key processing parameters were evaluated. The results demonstrated a broad range of volumetric changes, from shrinkage of 40.84% to expansion of 91.69%, depending on the formulation and processing conditions. The aggregates exhibited specific mass values ranging from 0.99 g\/cm3 to 2.36 g\/cm3, water absorption up to 3.29%, and mechanical strength from 4.57 MPa to 39.87 MPa. Notably, nine of the sixteen experimental conditions met the technical standards for classification as LWA, indicating suitability for applications in high-strength, structural, and non-structural lightweight concretes, as well as lightweight mortars. The performance of these materials was directly linked to the chemical and mineralogical characteristics of the precursors and the proportion of pyro-expansive waste used. Overall, the findings suggest that 50% of the produced aggregates are viable for high-performance concrete applications, offering an environmentally responsible alternative to virgin raw materials and contributing to sustainable waste valorization in the ceramic and construction industries.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/su17167385","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,15]],"date-time":"2025-08-15T16:09:55Z","timestamp":1755274195000},"page":"7385","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Evaluating Porcelain Polishing Waste as a Pyro-Expansive Agent in Clay Formulations for Sustainable Lightweight Aggregates"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Vit\u00f3ria Silva","family":"Martins de Oliveira","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Federal University of Para\u00edba (UFPB), Jo\u00e3o Pessoa 58051-900, Brazil"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8355-1902","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jos\u00e9 Anselmo da Silva","family":"Neto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Federal University of Para\u00edba (UFPB), Jo\u00e3o Pessoa 58051-900, Brazil"}]},{"given":"Gustavo Lira do","family":"Nascimento","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Federal University of Para\u00edba (UFPB), Jo\u00e3o Pessoa 58051-900, Brazil"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9563-2534","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marcos Alyssandro Soares dos","family":"Anjos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Civil Engineering, Federal Institute of Para\u00edba (IFPB), Jo\u00e3o Pessoa 58015-430, Brazil"}]},{"given":"Ricardo Peixoto Suassuna","family":"Dutra","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Federal University of Para\u00edba (UFPB), Jo\u00e3o Pessoa 58051-900, Brazil"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9869-7229","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cinthia Maia","family":"Pederneiras","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Buildings Department, National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC), 1700-066 Lisbon, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103531","DOI":"10.1016\/j.resourpol.2023.103531","article-title":"Impact of Energy Depletion, Human Development, and Income Distribution on Natural Resource Sustainability","volume":"83","author":"Xu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Resour. 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