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Effect of thermal processing on the characteristics of incineration fly ash

This work investigated the possibilities of immobilizing incineration fly ash by applying different processing methods. Direct sintering of fly ash at 1050 °C produced material with increased resistance to leaching; however, the high content of halides prevented the achievement of appropriate strength. Fly ash melting and casting into metallic moulds resulted in the formation of glass with good chemical resistivity and mechanical properties, which were further improved by devitrification, and the formation of glass-ceramics. The most successful combination of strength and resistance to leaching was obtained by a process consisting of fly ash melting, by pouring the melt into water, then grinding, and sintering without additives at 850–950 °C. In this way, a material was produced that cannot only be landfilled as a stabilised and non-reactive waste in landfills for non-hazardous wastes, but can also be utilized as a valuable material for manufacturing useful products. This article provided valuable results for policy-makers in Slovenia, about the handling fly ash from incineration plants. Implications Fly ash from an incineration plant was thermally treated using several processing routes. Ash-melting, by pouring the melt into water and sintering, produced glass-ceramics having an optimal combination of strength and resistance to leaching that can find applications as useful products. These results provide important data for policy makers in Slovenia regarding the building of incineration plants, and handling the solid-waste products, especially fly ash.