Optimizing Glass Foam Production from Recycled Sources: Influence of Variation in Cullet Color and Spent Alkaline Battery Components

Abstract

Glass foams present a compelling opportunity for upcycling glass waste, offering a favorable combination of low weight, thermal insulation, and mechanical strength. Prior works demonstrated the feasibility of producing glass foams from glass waste and foaming agents sourced from synthetic textile waste, manganese oxides, and spent alkaline battery cathodes. This work explores the optimization of the process, investigating the impact of glass composition of differently colored glasses on final properties and incorporating entire alkaline batteries, encompassing both cathode and anode components. By carefully adjusting the composition, foaming agent content, and process temperature, customizable properties are achieved. Increasing foaming agent content or utilizing transparent glass improves insulation but lowers density and mechanical properties. Lowering foaming agent content or using brown/green glass enhances density and strength at the expense of insulation. Temperatures beyond 900 °C increase crystalline content, boosting mechanical performance without affecting density. This innovative approach not only offers a pathway to sustainable insulation materials but also underscores the potential for minimizing environmental impact through the efficient upcycling of glass waste.