Synthesis of new Cr2O3/Fe2O3/glass composites from industrial wastes; from undesired to advanced optical products

For the tendency toward cleaner production and safe conversion of undesired toxic wastes to highly priced advanced products, this work introduces new ceramics/glass composites of Cr₂O₃/Fe₂O₃/lead silicate glass (LSG) from industrial LSG wastes. Both chromia Cr₂O₃ and hematite Fe₂O₃ ceramics are added equally to the LSG wastes with different percentages (10, 20, and 30 wt.%) via the pressureless sintering method. The competitiveness of this work is dependent on the conversion of undesired waste materials into advanced/smart optical materials with a low cost and an environmentally friendly method. Hence, the influence of both Cr₂O₃ and Fe₂O₃ additions on the behavior and the different characteristics of the lead silicate wastes are comprehensively investigated. Evaluation of the final ceramics/glass composites was achieved through their phase composition, microstructure, optical, and magnetic characteristics. The results verified that the insertion of both chromia and hematite together into the glass waste had a key role in improving its morphological properties and optical and magnetic behaviors. Composite with 30% of Cr₂O₃/Fe₂O₃ gave the highest optical absorbance of 90%, the lowest and best band gap energy of 1.68 ev, and the highest refractive index of 2.85. Also, it recorded the best magnetic behavior with the highest saturation magnetization of 139.700 × 10^-2A m² kg^-1 and the best coercivity of 190.0 Oe. These findings confirmed the successful clean conversion of the hazardous lead silicate waste into advanced products with promising optoelectronic characteristics.