Preparation and Characterization of Glass Ceramic Foams Produced from Copper Slag

Abstract

Using wastes as starting raw material is a common method to reduce the production costs. In the present work, preparation of glass ceramic foams using iron-rich copper slag, supplied from Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex in the Kerman Province of Iran, has been investigated. Two glass compositions were selected for preparation of glasses from slag with different amounts of Fe2O3 based on conventional soda lime glass containing Fe2O3 as additive. Glasses with 47 wt% slag (24 wt% Fe2O3) and 32 wt% slag (16 wt% Fe2O3) were prepared. Powder glasses were mixed with 3 wt% SiC and heated with the heating rate of 10oC/min up to the reaction temperature (800o, 850o, 900o, 950o and 1000oC) and soaked for 25 min. Then, the samples were subjected to DTA, XRD and SEM. The results showed that achieving glass ceramic foam from glass containing 47 wt% slag was impossible due to intense crystallization of pyroxene phases while glass ceramic foam with relative density of 0.18 was obtained using glass containing 32 wt% slag at firing temperature of 950oC. Compressive strength of optimized foam was 9 MPa which was remarkably high due to surface crystallization of pyroxene phases.