Abstract
Sustainable materials engineering necessitates the valorization of industrial by-products, such as coal fly ash, into functional, high-performance materials. This research addresses a core challenge in materials synthesis: establishing a deterministic technology for controlled porous structure formation to optimize the thermophysical properties of lightweight thermal insulation composites. The primary objective was to investigate the structural evolution kinetics during the high-intensity thermal processing of fly ash-based precursors to facilitate precise property regulation. We developed a novel, integrated process, underpinned by mathematical modeling of simultaneous bloating and non-equilibrium heat transfer, to evaluate key operational parameters within a vortex-layer reactor (VLR). This framework enables the a priori prediction of structural outcomes. The synthesized composite granules were subjected to comprehensive characterization, quantifying apparent density, total porosity, static compressive strength, and effective thermal conductivity. The developed models and VLR technology successfully identified critical thermal exposure windows and heat flux intensities of the heating medium required for the reproducible regulation of the composite's porous architecture. This precise structure process control yielded materials exhibiting an optimal balance between low density (<400 kg/m(3)) and adequate mechanical integrity (>1.0 MPa). This work validates a scalable, energy-efficient production technology for fly ash-derived porous media. The established capability for predictive control over microstructural development provides a robust engineering solution for producing porous materials, significantly contributing to waste reduction and sustainable building practices.