A new technique for the production of glass foams, based on alkali activation and gel casting, previously applied to soda-lime glass, was successfully extended to boro-alumino-silicate glass, recovered from the recycling of pharmaceutical vials. A weak alkali activation (2.5 M NaOH or NaOH/KOH aqueous solutions) of fine glass powders (below 70 µm) allowed for the obtainment of well-dispersed concentrated aqueous suspensions, undergoing gelation by treatment at low temperature (75 °C). Unlike soda-lime glass, the progressive hardening could not be attributed to the formation of calcium-rich silicate hydrates. The gelation was provided considering the chemical formulation of pharmaceutical glass (CaO-free) to the formation of hydrated sodium alumino-silicate (N-A-S-H) gel. An extensive direct foaming was achieved by vigorous mechanical stirring of partially gelified suspensions, comprising also a surfactant. A sintering treatment at 700 °C, was finally applied to stabilize the cellular structures.
Keywords: alkali activation; gel casting; glass foams; glass recycling.