A novel value-added utilization route for washed residue of secondary aluminum dross: Preparing corundum-spinel ceramic spheres for high-temperature heat storage.

Secondary aluminum dross (SAD) is a kind of hazardous waste with high aluminum content produced in the aluminum industry. From another point, SAD is also considered as a valuable aluminum resource, which can be used as high-quality raw material for value-added products such as refractory materials. In this study, a novel route for preparing corundum-spinel heat storage spheres (HSS) using washed residue of secondary aluminum dross (WSAD) as the main raw material was proposed. FactSage 8.1 software was used for the detailed thermodynamic calculation, which provided accurate theoretical guidance for the actual synthesis experiments. The effects of roasting temperature and formula on the main phases, compressive strength, porosity, and bulk density of HSS were systematically analyzed. The strengthening mechanism of the liquid phase on the sintering strength was revealed. The results showed that the HSS with good properties could be obtained with 90 wt% WSAD, 10 wt% kaolin, and 1 wt% bentonite. The HSS mainly consisted of corundum and spinel phases. The synthetic temperature of corundum-spinel ceramic was reduced by more than 200 °C. This study provides a novel way for value-added utilization of SAD as well as realizing the deep detoxification and the removal of nitrogen of it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]