Aluminothermic synthesis of ceramics from the hercynite-alumina system, using mill scale and aluminum chips

This paper presents a methodology for the obtaining of an abrasive ceramic as the main product and an iron alloy as a byproduct, using industrial solid residuals as raw materials and aluminothermic processing. By using rolling mill scales and aluminum chips, high-hardness ceramics are obtained, using the ceramic itself as a diluent. The processing results are first evaluated using a mass balance, determining that the ceramic should be formed by 58 % FeAl2O4 and 42 % Al2O3, while quantitative characterization by XRD allows to establish that the ceramic phase is mainly composed of hercynite (62 %), corundum (22 %) and small amounts of non-stoichiometric crystalline (≈4 %) and vitreous (≈11 %) phases, feasible to be used in the manufacture of abrasive wheels for polishing floors and terraces.