Material Recycling of Municipal Waste Slags by Using Phase Separation of Glass

A novel recycling process of municipal waste slags obtaining Fe-free colorless materials was developed by using a phase separation of borosilicate glass. B(2)O(3) was added to a simulated waste slag to promote the phase separation. The slag glasses were heat-treated above glass transition temperatures, from which phase separation was successfully induced. The phase-separated slag glasses were still colored in black due to Fe ions, and after soaking in acid, they were successfully bleached, obtaining colorless solids. According to compositional analyses, no Fe ions were confirmed in the remaining insolubles, indicating that Fe ions were preferentially incorporated into the borate-rich phases soluble in acid. The main constituent of the colorless solids was SiO(2) and the end products obtained in the present process were expected as an alternative of pure silica glass.