New Coal Char-Based Building Products: Manufacturing, Engineering Performance, and Techno-Economic Analysis for the USA Market

Abstract

Common building products, i.e., thin brick and stone veneer, add the look of brick walls or the enduring charm of natural stones into buildings and houses without imposing a substantial increase in structural load. This study investigates the mechanical strength, durability, and economic feasibility of producing innovative char-based thin bricks and stone veneers. The char-based thin brick vacuum treated with hydrophobic liquid exhibits water absorption rates within the 4–7% range, displays durability against 50 freeze–thaw (F-T) cycles, and maintains a saturation coefficient below 0.6. In contrast, commercial thin bricks have water absorption of 9–12%. Treated char-based stone veneer has water absorption of 5.3% and an average compressive strength of 19.2 MPa, maintains its structural integrity throughout 50 F-T cycles, and exhibits a negligible linear shrinkage of approximately 0.01%. In contrast, commercial stone veneers have water absorption of 10–16%. These engineering properties meet the criteria as per ASTM standards C1088 and C1670 for thin brick and stone veneer, respectively. A techno-economic study was preliminarily conducted to examine the potential cost efficiency and cash flow in manufacturing these char-based building products. The manufacturing cost of USD 25.83 is lower than the average market price of 64.65 USD/sq. m. for thin bricks. The manufacturing cost of USD 32.65 is lower than the average market price of 129.17 USD/sq. m. for stone veneers. These comparisons present a compelling economic advantage for their commercialization. This comprehensive study has demonstrated the advantages of sustainable char-based stone veneers and thin bricks regarding engineering performance and economic benefits.