Synthesis and characterization of tamarugite from aluminium dross: Part I

Aluminium dross, which is otherwise a hazardous waste, can be used for the synthesis of Tamarugite. Since aluminium dross is a good source of aluminium, utilizing the aluminium dross for the generation of valuable products is a reliable method of recycling this industrial waste. The motivation of the present research is to jointly recycle aluminium dross and synthesize Tamarugite. In this research article, the synthesis of Tamarugite was carried out using the addition of NaOH and H₂SO₄ solutions to aluminium dross. The dross reacts with NaOH to form NaAl(OH)₄ and the addition of H₂SO₄ results in the generation of NaAl(SO₄)₂.6H₂O. Since Tamarugite is a relatively rare mineral, its applications have not yet been reported much. However, the authors have explored the possibility of using Tamarugite as a coagulant and found that the mineral has excellent coagulation tendency. The authors believe that present research shall expand the new horizon for utilization of Tamarugite and recycling of aluminium dross.