Study on controllable preparation of high performance andradite based glass-ceramics by harmful iron-rich waste slag

Due to containing abundant FeO_x and trace heavy metals (Pb, As, Cr, Cd, etc.), the disposal of lead/zinc smelting slag (LSS-ZSS) with ultra-high historical reserves has attracted increased attention. Using LSS-ZSS to prepare glass-ceramics is a good method to solve the problem of LSS-ZSS accumulation and realize heavy metal solidification, whereas there are some technical challenges that are difficult to deal with. A large amount of FeO_x component in LSS-ZSS would not only lead to melt overflow, but also cause early crystallization of basic glass. In this work, through the directional modification of LSS-ZSS and the subsequent crystallization kinetics regulation, we successfully prepare high performance glass-ceramics with andradite and hematite as the main crystal phases. In addition, by means of SEM, PXRD, FTIR spectra and XPS, the morphology/phase transformation, fine structure and valence variations of iron components in LSS-ZSS at different temperature zones are systematically studied. The maximum shrinkage rate of resultant basic glasses is 27 %, and the maximum flexural strength and compressive strength of glass-ceramics are 128 MPa and 890 MPa, respectively. This work would not only benefit to solve the problem of resource utilization of harmful LSS-ZSS, but also provide a possible reference for the utilization of iron-rich waste slag in magnetic properties related fields.