High Strength Lightweight Glass-Ceramics Sintered from Fly Ash: A Potential Proppant Material

Abstract

High strength lightweight glass-ceramics were sintered with fly ash as the main raw material. The effects of utilization rate of fly ash, nucleating agents, sintering temperature and heating rate were studied. The optimum utilization rate was found to be 60%. The nucleating agents enhanced the properties of the proppant in the order: Fe₂O₃ > TiO₂ > MnO₂ > Cr₂O₃. The enhancement was much pronounced with the use of 6 wt% Fe₂O₃ or 5 wt% Fe₂O₃ along with 1 wt% TiO₂. The sample sintered at 1400°C for 30 min at a heating rate of 5°C.min^–1 showed optimum properties, viz. high strength (120.97-125.45 MPa), low water absorption (0.57-0.82%) and low density (1.32-1.56 g.cm^–3). The fabricated glass-ceramics may be assumed to be a promising proppant material for hydaulic fracturing production of petroleum.

Keywords:

• Fly ash
• Glass-ceramics
• Sintering schedule
• Proppant
• Property