CONVERSION OF COAL FLY ASH TO ZEOLITE-BASED IRON OXIDE MAGNETIC NANOCOPOSITES BY MODIFIED FUSION-HYDROTHERMAL SYNTHESIS

Coal fly ash generated in Thermal Power Plants is utilized for synthesis of zeolites due to its aluminosilicate composition. The highest degree of zeolitization of coal ash in a particular zeolite phase is achieved by double-stage synthesis involving successive alkaline melting and hydrothermal activation of the reaction mixtures, while the uniform distribution of the iron oxides transferred from the raw coal ash is ensured by ultrasonic treatment. However, the applied melting step results in the oxidation of the magnetic iron oxide phases to non-magnetic ones, which results in the loss of magnetic properties of the resulting materials. The present investigation focuses on an improved double- stage synthesis procedure by the addition of raw coal ash containing magnetite between high temperature and low temperature processing. In this way, the magnetic phase is retained in the final product and the magnetic properties of the zeolites are preserved, which is important for their application in the adsorption of pollutants from wastewater.