Characterization of glass-ceramics microstructure, chemical composition and mechanical properties

Abstract

Given paper presents the results of industrial waste recycling - steel cooling refuse, etching refuse and alumina containing waste. In order to characterize the microstructure and chemical composition of a glass-ceramic material obtained from Latvian industrial waste, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were used. In the glass-ceramic material various crystalline phases such as quartz, hematite, anorthite, spinels etc. were identified. The crystalline phases contain a higher amount of metallic elements (e.g. Al, Cr, Fe, Ni and Zn and most probably also other heavy metals) than the residual glassy phase. Relations between microstructure, chemical composition and mechanical properties were established.