Preparation and Properties of Slag Wool Board using Modified Polyvinyl Alcohol as Binder

Slag wool boards were produced by using slag wool as the main raw material and adding modified polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the binder. The microstructure, thermal conductivity, compression strength, hydrophobicity, and other properties of the slag wool board were analyzed by using scanning electron microscopy, thermal conductivity tester, electronic universal testing machine, and other equipments. Also, the influence of different types and amount of binder on the properties of the slag wool board was studied. The results show that the addition of silica sol can improve the high temperature resistance of the slag wool board, and the addition of borax can improve the hydrophobic rate and compression strength of the slag wool board. Also, the concentration of PVA has obvious influence on the usage of silica sol and borax. In this study, we found that the optimal ratio of the binder should be 3 wt% addition of PVA, 20 wt% addition of silica sol, and 0.2 wt% of borax (relative to the amount of PVA), under the condition of satisfying the performance index of slag wool board and the convenience to spray the adhesive.