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Coal fly ash and steel slag valorisation throughout a vitrification process

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Abstract

The aim of this research was to evaluate the feasibility of using the vitrification process as an alternative solution to the disposal of a coal fly ash and metallurgical slags in landfills. The starting wastes were characterised in terms of chemical, granulometric, mineralogical, and microstructural analysis. A selected batch composition composed by 58.5% fly ash, 31.5% metallurgical slag and 10.0 Na2O% (wt%) was melted at 1450 °C and poured to obtain monolithic glass samples. The environmental behaviour of the starting wastes and the resulting glass was evaluated by standard leaching tests, which shows that vitrification leads to a stabilisation process in which the inorganic components of the wastes are immobilised throughout their incorporation into the glass structure. Moreover, vitrification transforms those hazardous wastes into a new non-hazardous glass. A preliminary study shows that the new glass is suitable for developing glass–ceramic tiles appropriate for floor pavement and wall covering.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Mrs. P. Díaz and Mrs. E. Sánchez for their technical assistance. H. R. Guzmán-Carrillo wants to thank CONACyT for scholarship (Grant No. 311363) and to Prof. J. Ma. Rincón from the IETcc-CSIC for his valuable advice.

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  1. H. R. Guzmán-Carrillo

    Present address: CINVESTAV, I.P.N. Unidad Querétaro, 76230, Querétaro, Mexico

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Investigación en Metalurgia y Materiales, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Ciudad Universitaria Morelia, 58030, Michoacán, Mexico

    H. R. Guzmán-Carrillo & E. A. Aguilar Reyes

  2. Group of Glass and Ceramic Materials, Eduardo Torroja Institute for Construction Sciences, CSIC, C/Serrano Galvache 4, 28033, Madrid, Spain

    J. M. Pérez & M. Romero

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  1. H. R. Guzmán-Carrillo
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  2. J. M. Pérez
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  3. E. A. Aguilar Reyes
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  4. M. Romero
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Correspondence to M. Romero.

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Editorial responsibility: Q. Aguilar-Virgen.

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Guzmán-Carrillo, H.R., Pérez, J.M., Aguilar Reyes, E.A. et al. Coal fly ash and steel slag valorisation throughout a vitrification process. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 15, 1757–1766 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-017-1542-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-017-1542-5

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