Potential use of Kraft pulp mill and flat glass cutting wastes in red ceramic products

Abstract This study assessed the incorporation of green liquor dregs, an inorganic solid waste from Kraft pulp mill, and flat glass cutting waste (FGCW) into red ceramic formulations. Since in Brazil sanitary landfills are still the main destination of industrial wastes such as those used in this research, a survey was conducted to identify the number of landfills in the region of origin of each waste and the amount of waste that could have this destination avoided. The effects of firing temperature and simultaneous incorporation of both industrial wastes were analyzed to optimize heat treatment and waste content in the formulation to manufacture red ceramic products. The influence of green liquor dregs and FGCW incorporation into clayey mass was evaluated varying waste content between 0 and 50 wt.%. The specimens were prepared by uniaxial pressing, fired at 850 and 950 °C, and had their physical-mechanical properties and mineralogical and microstructural characteristics analyzed. The best results were obtained for the formulation with 10 wt.% green liquor dregs and 30 wt.% FGCW fired at 950 °C. This result highlights the potential of using green liquor dregs, a waste difficult to be recycled due to its chemical composition, associated with FGCW, which acts as a fluxing agent in ceramic formulations.