Strong porous glass-ceramics from alkali activation and sinter-crystallization of vitrified MSWI bottom ash

Vitrification of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) bottom ash is an effective method to produce a chemically stable glass, with metal recovery. In order to justify the high costs of this process, the vitrified residue can then be upcycled into potential marketable products. In this study, vitrified bottom ash was successfully converted into strong and chemically stable porous glass-ceramics by the combination of alkali activation and sintering. After the activation of the glass in a NaOH solution of low molarity, foams were easily produced by intensive mechanical stirring, with the aid of a surfactant, and stabilized by gelation. The obtained open-celled material was further consolidated by a sintering treatment, at 800-900°C. The addition of recycled soda-lime glass allowed activation at low molarity and sintering at lower temperature, but it reduced the mechanical properties and the stabilization of heavy metals. On the other hand, the increase in molarity of the alkaline solution increased the porosity and also the strength of foams from vitrified bottom ash