Utilisation of Polyethylene Terephthalate as a Reductant in Ferrosilicon Production from Pudo Iron Ore and End-of-life Automotive Windshield

B. Darko, E. A. Arthur, J. R. Dankwah

Abstract


Ferrosilicon is a well-known alloy used in the steel industry to improve the mechanical and physical properties of steel. It is produced through the reduction of iron ore and silica in the presence of a carbonaceous reductant at high temperatures. In this study, we investigated the use of a non-traditional reductant, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), for the production of ferrosilicon, using Pudo iron ore and a waste material, automotive windshield glass (AWS). The experimental approach involved a two-stage process: (1) the production of a reducing agent from PET, and (2) the reduction of Pudo iron ore and silica in the presence of the reducing agent. Samples of the Pudo iron ore, automotive windscreen glass and embrittled samples of waste PET were pulverised to -250 μm. The pulverized PET was mixed in proportions with the pulverised Pudo iron ore, flour and water to form three composite pellets. The pellets upon drying were heated in a domestic microwave oven (DMO) for 40 minutes at a temperature of 1197 ºC. The products were characterized using SEM/EDX and XRF. The ferrosilicon produced had a chemical composition of 1.71% Si, 3.38% C, 1.26% Al, 0.92% Mg, 2.21% Ca, 1.29% Na, 5.21% O and 84.02% Fe. The use of PET as a reductant could provide a more sustainable and cost-effective way of producing ferrosilicon, utilizing waste materials as feedstock. However, the results showed that the silica in the AWS was a poor absorber of microwave energy, making direct alloy formation of ferrosilicon difficult. To improve the efficiency of the process, the authors suggested extending the time of heating in the DMO beyond 40 minutes. Additionally, future work could explore alternative heating methods that are more efficient in reducing the silica in the AWS.


Keywords


Pudo iron ore, automotive windshield, PET, reduction, ferrosilicon, XRF, SEM/EDX.

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References


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