In this study, the hydrolysis behavior and kinetics of AlN in aluminum dross (AD) were investigated in order to better identify the steps controlling the AlN hydrolysis reaction and the factors influencing the hydrolysis rate to enhance the removal efficiency of AlN. The hydrolysis behavior of AlN, including AlN content, phase composition, chemical composition, microstructure, and element distribution, was determined by a leaching test, X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectroscopy, respectively. The results showed that increasing the leaching liquid–solid ratio as well as the temperature was helpful for the removal efficiency of AlN. When the liquid-–solid ratio was 4:1, temperature was 90 °C, and leaching time was 300 min, the removal efficiency of AlN reached 89.05%. The kinetics were described using the unreacted core model, and when the temperature was 30–40, 50–70, and 80–90 °C, the hydrolysis reaction rate of AlN was controlled by boundary layer diffusion, chemical reaction control, and product layer diffusion control, respectively.

Aluminum dross (AD) is a waste product produced during aluminum processing and can be used to prepare mullite ceramic materials. However, the research on the preparation of mullite porous ceramics entirely from solid waste is still in the development stage. In this paper, porous mullite ceramics were successfully fabricated using a solid-phase sintering process with AD and different silicon sources (fly ash, silica dust, and gangue) as raw materials. The bulk density, apparent porosity, and compressive strength of the specimens were obtained, and the phase compositions and microstructures of the sintered specimens were measured using XRD and SEM, respectively. The average activation energy of the phase transition of fly ash, silica dust, and gangue as silicon sources were 984 kJ/mol, 1113 kJ/mol, and 741 kJ/mol, respectively. The microstructures of the mullite in the specimens were prisms, random aggregates, and needle-shaped, respectively. The formation of needle-shaped mullite combined with the substrate enhanced the mechanical strength of the porous mullite ceramics. The apparent porosity, density, and compressive strength of the specimens with gangue as the silicon source were 33.13%, 1.98 g/cm³, and 147.84 MPa, respectively, when sintered at 1300 °C for 2 h.

Aluminum dross is a well-known industrial waste generated in the aluminium industry, and its recycling and reuse is still a worldwide issue. Herein, aluminum dross waste (ADW) was recycled to progressively replace the aggregate fraction of clay at 70, 75, 80, 85, and 90 wt% for the fabrication of Al₂O₃-SiO₂-rich porous castable refractories. Their physical properties and mechanical behavior were assessed by the measurement of linear shrinkage rate, bulk density, apparent porosity, cold crushing strength, and thermal conductivity. The microstructure and phase evolutions were analyzed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The incorporation of 85 wt% of ADW allowed the development of a waste-containing conventional refractory castable with improved properties as compared to those of the other samples. The sustainable refractory castable exhibited decent thermal conductivity and physical and mechanical characteristics, and is suitable for application as reheating furnace lining. It is a “green” practice to partially replace the traditional raw materials with industrial waste in the manufacture of conventional refractory castables and provides environmental and economic benefits.

This study created ceramic preforms with a 3D network structure (TAD_3D) by using treated aluminum dross (TAD) and kaolin slurry, with 30 ppi polyurethane foam as a template via the sacrificial template method. TAD_3D/5A05Al composites were then produced via pressureless infiltration of 5A05Al aluminum alloy into TAD_3D. The corrosion behavior and resistance of TAD_3D/5A05Al in salt spray were assessed via neutral salt spray corrosion (NSS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests. The results showed that after 24 to 360 h of NSS corrosion, the corrosion of the 5A05 matrix was primarily pitting, with pits expanding and deepening over time, and showing a tendency to interconnect. The main corrosion products were MgAl₂O₄, Al(OH)₃, and Al₂O₃. As corrosion progressed, these products increased and filled cracks, pits, and grooves at the composite interface on the material’s surface. Corrosion products transferred to the grooves at the composite interface and grew on the ceramic surface. Corrosion products on the ceramic framework and the Al matrix can form a continuous passivation film covering the composite surface. PDP and EIS results indicated that the composite’s corrosion resistance decreased by 240 h but increased after that time. After 240 h, the surface passivation film can weaken corrosion effects and enhance the composite’s resistance, although it remained weaker than that of the uncorroded samples. Additionally, grooves at the composite interface deepened over time, with loosely structured corrosion products inside, potentially leading to severe localized corrosion.