초록 ▼

The invention provides a method to transform large quantities of waste glass into useful ceramic products by a low-cost manufacturing process. The method improves green strength compared to previous methods, and does not require water or any other liquid solvent. Only one firing step is needed with

The invention provides a method to transform large quantities of waste glass into useful ceramic products by a low-cost manufacturing process. The method improves green strength compared to previous methods, and does not require water or any other liquid solvent. Only one firing step is needed with a low peak firing temperature of about 700° C.to about 1000° C. The method conserves energy and natural resources compared to clay-based traditional ceramic manufacturing. High-quality impervious ceramic products can be produced by the invention.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A method for making a ceramic product from waste glass, comprising: heating a solid organic binder to form a liquid organic binder; mixing the waste glass with the liquid organic binder to form a liquid-binder-coated glass mixture; cooling the liquid-binder-coated-glass

The invention claimed is: 1. A method for making a ceramic product from waste glass, comprising: heating a solid organic binder to form a liquid organic binder; mixing the waste glass with the liquid organic binder to form a liquid-binder-coated glass mixture; cooling the liquid-binder-coated-glass mixture to form a solid-binder-coated-glass mixture; forming the solid-binder-coated-glass mixture into a green ceramic article; heating the green ceramic article to burnout the organic binder; and firing the green ceramic article to sinter the green ceramic article into the ceramic product. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the waste glass is selected from the group consisting of container glass waste, flat glass waste, fiber glass waste, and specialty glass waste. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the waste glass is provided in a glass powder form. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the waste glass is provided in a dry-processed glass powder form. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein about 90 to about 99 weight percent of the solid-binder-coated-glass powder is comprised of the waste glass and about 1 to about 10 weight percent of the solid-binder-coated-glass powder is comprised of the solid organic binder. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the waste glass includes a filler. 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the waste glass includes a filler selected from the group consisting of ceramic raw materials and colorants. 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the waste glass includes a filler comprised of coarse-sized particles. 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein about 0.1 to about 40 weight percent of the waste glass is comprised of a filler. 10. The method according to claim 1, further including mixing the waste glass with the solid organic binder, before heating the solid organic binder to form a liquid organic binder. 11. The method according to claim 1, further including heating the waste glass to above the melting temperature of the solid organic binder, before mixing the waste glass with the liquid organic binder to form a liquid-binder-coated-glass mixture. 12. The method according to claim 1, further including crushing the solid-binder-coated-glass mixture to break up agglomerates and reduce the particle size of the solid-binder-coated-glass mixture. 13. The method according to claim 1, further including seiving the solid-binder-coated-glass mixture to control the particle size of the solid-binder-coated-glass mixture. 14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the forming comprises pressing or extrusion. 15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the firing comprises heating the green ceramic article to a maximum temperature of about 700° C. to about 1000° C. 16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic product comprises tile or brick. 17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the firing comprises partial crystallization of the ceramic product. 18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic product has a smooth glossy surface. 19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic product has a textured surface. 20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic product is further processed by applying a glaze thereon.