Characterization of Vitrocrystalline Foams Produced from Discarded Glasses and Recycled Polystyrene Spheres

In this work, discarded soda-lime glasses (from glass bottles) and recycled polystyrene (PS) spheres (d50 < 300 µm) were successfully converted into vitrocrystalline foams for thermal insulation applications. Physical and chemical properties of the selected and prepared raw materials (wastes) were characterized. Batches containing well mixed glass powder (d50 < 5 µm), PS spheres (10 - 80 vol.%) and PVA (8 vol.% ) were obtained and uniaxially pressed at 20 MPa. The obtained powder compacts were dried in air for 24 h and then fired at different temperatures (850 to 900 °C, 10 °C/min) for 30 min. Vitrocrystalline foams with interconned cells sizes between 86 and 815 µm, homogeneously distributed in a crack free matrix, were characterized from the point of view of their typical physical, chemical, morphological and mechanical properties. The results showed that it is possible to obtain vitrocrystalline foams with porosities up to 89% and compressive strength varying from 4 to 25 MPa.