Preparation of chemically strengthened glass with varying B2O3/SiO2 ratios using spodumene mineral residue

This study pioneers the use of spodumene mineral residue as a primary raw material for producing chemically strengthened glass, addressing concerns related to sustainable waste management. The resulting glasses achieve over 90% transparency at 550 nm, with compressive stress exceeding 1000 MPa and Vickers hardness surpassing 6.6 GPa. As the B₂O₃/SiO₂ ratio increases, the depth of the compressive stress layer (DOL) of the samples shows a trend of initially decreasing and then stabilizing (DOL: 16–24 µm). The compressive stress (CS) of all samples >1000 MPa. Analysis reveals that [BO₄] units hinder ion exchanges while [BO₃] promote strengthening. Furthermore, as the B₂O₃/SiO₂ ratio increases, the refractive index rises, thermal stability decreases, and density initially increases before decreasing, while the trend for molar volume is opposite to that of density. This study provides a potential application solution for the treatment of spodumene mineral residue, promoting green and circular economic development.