Processing and properties of a glass-ceramic from coal fly ash from a thermal power plant through an economic process

Coal fly ash from a thermal power plant with the addition of selected oxides was used for the preparation of a glass-ceramic with high mechanical properties through an economic process. The starting materials were fly ash, shell (ark shell) as a source of CaO and TiO2 as a nucleating agent to reduce the melting temperature and to promote internal crystallization. A nuclei formed with Fe and Ti ions from the ash components and added materials, respectively, which had a synergetic effect to induce nuclei in the glass for devitrification. Under a single stage heat treatment, a new crystalline phase formed in the microstructure of glass-ceramics having a crystal size of 2.09×0.36×0.096 μm3 with a high aspect ratio, 12. The resulting mechanical properties (hardness, strength, fracture toughness, elastic constant and wear rate) of the glass-ceramic indicated good possibilities for use in structural materials.