ceramsite panels by bentu transform aquaculture waste into circular building material

"BENTU Design develops unfired ceramsite panels from fish pond sludge through alkali-activated geopolymer technology, transforming aquaculture from the Pearl River Delta into a circular architectural system. The project, titled The Metamorphosis of Mud: From the Collapse of Mulberry-Fish Pond Systems to the Redemption of Circular Materials, examines how traditional ecological knowledge can be reinterpreted through material research, environmental remediation, and contemporary construction methods."

"Industrialized aquaculture disrupted this relationship, replacing regenerative systems with intensive monoculture fish farming dependent on artificial feed. As a result, pond sediment accumulated excess nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals, and pathogens, transforming what was once a productive ecological resource into a significant environmental burden."

"Beginning in 2022 in Shunde, Guangdong, BENTU Design initiated research into converting contaminated pond sludge into unfired ceramic-based construction panels. The process uses alkali-activated geopolymer technology, which eliminates the need for high-temperature kiln firing typically required in conventional ceramsite production. Rich in amorphous silica and alumina, the pond sludge functions as a geopolymer precursor, forming a stable three-dimensional inorganic network when combined with slag, fly ash, and alkaline activators."

"The fabrication process operates at ambient or low-temperature curing conditions, significantly reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions compared to traditional ceramic firing methods exceeding 1000 deg"

BENTU Design develops unfired ceramsite panels from fish pond sludge using alkali-activated geopolymer technology. The approach transforms aquaculture waste from the Pearl River Delta into a circular architectural system. Traditional mulberry-fish pond ecology relied on interconnected cycles where nutrient-rich pond mud supported productive agriculture. Industrialized aquaculture disrupted these cycles, causing excess nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals, and pathogens to accumulate in pond sediment. Starting in 2022 in Shunde, Guangdong, research converts contaminated sludge into ceramic-based construction panels without high-temperature kiln firing. Sludge rich in amorphous silica and alumina acts as a geopolymer precursor, forming a stable inorganic network when combined with slag, fly ash, and alkaline activators. Ambient or low-temperature curing reduces energy use and carbon emissions compared with conventional firing.

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