Characteristics of waste automotive glasses as silica resource in ferrosilicon synthesis. Issue 2 (February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Farzana, Rifat; Rajarao, Ravindra; Sahajwalla, Veena
• Is Part Of: Waste management & research. Volume 34:Issue 2(2016:Feb.)
• Page Start: 113
• Page End: 121
• Publication Date: 2016-02
• Subjects: Laminated glass -- tempered glass -- ferrosilicon alloy -- silica -- glass recycling; Factory and trade waste -- Periodicals; Refuse and refuse disposal -- Periodicals; Municipal engineering -- Periodicals; Déchets industriels -- Périodiques; Déchets -- Élimination -- Périodiques; Génie urbain -- Périodiques; 628
• DOI: 10.1177/0734242X15617010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0734-242X

Abstract

This fundamental research on end-of-life automotive glasses, which are difficult to recycle, is aimed at understanding the chemical and physical characteristics of waste glasses as a resource of silica to produce ferrosilicon. Laboratory experiments at 1550°C were carried out using different automotive glasses and the results compared with those obtained with pure silica. In situ images of slag–metal separation showed similar behaviour for waste glasses and silica-bearing pellets. Though X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed different slag compositions for glass and silica-bearing pellets, formation of ferrosilicon was confirmed. Synthesized ferrosilicon alloy from waste glasses and silica were compared by Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. Silicon concentration in the synthesized alloys showed almost 92% silicon recovery from the silica-bearing pellet and 74–92% silicon recoveries from various waste glass pellets. The polyvinyl butyral (PVB) plastic layer in the windshield glass decomposed at low temperature and did not show any detrimental effect on ferrosilicon synthesis. This innovative approach of using waste automotive glasses as a silica source for ferrosilicon production has the potential to create sustainable pathways, which will reduce specialty glass waste in landfill.