AR (alkali resistant)-glass fibers were developed to provide better alkali resistance, but there is currently no research on AR-glass fiber manufacturing. In this study, we fabricated glass fiber from AR-glass using a continuous spinning process with 40 wt% refused coal ore. To confirm the melting properties of the marble glass, raw material was put into a (platinum) Pt crucible and melted at temperatures up to 1,650 °C for 2 h and then annealed. To confirm the transparent clear marble glass, visible transmittance was measured and the fiber spinning condition was investigated by high temperature viscosity measurement. A change in diameter was observed according to winding speed in the range of 100 to 700 rpm. We also checked the change in diameter as a function of fiberizing temperature in the range of 1,240 to 1,340 °C. As winding speed increased at constant temperature, fiber diameter tended to decrease. However, at fiberizing temperature at constant winding speed, fiber diameter tended to increase. The properties of the prepared spinning fibers were confirmed by optical microscope, tensile strength, modulus and alkali-resistance tests.

In this study, the glass melting properties are evaluated to examine the possibility of using refused coal ore as replacement for ceramic materials. To fabricate the glass, refused coal ore with calcium carbonate and sodium carbonate in it (which are added as supplementary materials) is put into an alumina crucible, melted at 1,200 ~ 1,500℃ for 1 hr, and then annealed at 600℃ for 2 hrs. We fabricate a black colored glass. The properties of the glass are measured by XRD (X-ray diffractometry) and TG-DTA (thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis). Glass samples manufactured at more than 1,300℃ with more than 60 % of refused coal ore are found by XRD to be non-crystalline in nature. In the case of the glass sample with 40 % of refused coal ore, from the sample melted at 1,200℃, a sodium aluminum phosphate peak, a disodium calcium silicate peak, and an unknown peak are observed. On the other hand, in the sample melted at 1,300℃, only the sodium aluminum phosphate peak and unknown peak are observed. And, peak changes that affect crystallization of the glass according to melting temperature are found. Therefore, it is concluded that glass with refused coal ore has good melting conditions at more than 1,200℃ and so can be applied to the construction field for materials such as glass tile, foamed glass panels, etc.

Glass was fabricated using refused coal ore obtained from the Dogye coal mine in Samcheok. We additionally used soda ash and calcium carbonate to make a glass with the chemical composition of soda-lime glass, and we also used white, brown, and green glass cullet to make various kinds of colored glass. Transparent glass was fabricated by melting batch materials including refused coal ore at 1550˚C for 1 hr in an electrical furnace. The light transmittance and color chromaticity were measured by a UV/VIS/NIR spectrometer. Transparent glass with a light transmittance of over 80% was fabricated using normal refused coal ore and white glass cullet. Various kinds of colored glass with a light transmittance of 30-80% were fabricated using refused coal ore and brown or green glass cullet. The light transmittance of the mixed color glass samples, fabricated using normal refused coal ore and brown glass cullet and green glass cullet, indicated 30-47%, a relatively low value, in the condition of a cullet ratio of 20-50%. The characteristics of the color chromaticity of the glass samples were indicated in a chromaticity diagram by x-coordinates, y-coordinates, Y (lightness). The values of x-coordinates and y-coordinates were moved with a regular directional property according to the kind and amount of glass cullet. Therefore, we concluded that refused coal ore can be used for raw materials of color glass products like art glass and glass tile.