Reciclagem de resíduos de vidro provenientes de laboratórios de ensino e pesquisa da UFPel para produção de espumas vítreas

Abstract

Recycling reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills, saves energy and natural resources. Glass is a material that can be recycled countless times without losing quality. This work aimed to produce vitreous foams from glass waste from UFPEL laboratories, using sodium hydroxide as an expanding agent through the post-ground sintering process in concentrations of 5%, 6.5% and 8%, with and without niobium pentoxide (Nb₂O ) and at different temperatures ₅ 800°C, 850°C and 900°C. The density of the foams was evaluated by helium pycnometry, and the morphology was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The resulting foams had a lower density of 0.55 g/ml and 1.85 g/ml, without and with Nb₂O , respectively. The results demonstrated the ₅ formation of foams with densities ranging from 0.55 g/mL (without Nb O ) to ₂ ₅ 1.85 g/mL (with Nb O ), highlighting the influence of niobium pentoxide on the ₂ ₅ material's structure. The foam containing Nb O was tested as a catalytic ₂ ₅ support for the degradation of rhodamine B dye, widely used in the textile industry. Although the methodology employed resulted in a decolorization rate of 30% in 60 minutes, indicating challenges for its direct application in industrial photocatalytic processes, these findings provide valuable insights for future adjustments and optimizations. Additionally, it was observed that increasing the sodium hydroxide concentration promoted the formation of larger pores due to the higher gas release during the process. On the other hand, the incorporation of Nb₂O₅ reduced both the amount and size of the pores, highlighting its role in modifying the microstructure of the foams. These findings emphasize the potential of the developed material and open new perspectives for improvements in specific applications.