Low-Temperature Glass Formation from Industrial Enamel Frit Production Waste

This study investigates the sustainable reuse of industrial enamel frit production waste generated during enamel application processes and evaluates its potential from a process-oriented glass-forming and -shaping perspective. Enamel frit waste collected from an industrial production line in Türkiye was subjected to comprehensive characterization, including XRD, XRF, TG/DTA, dilatometry, and CIE Lab* color analysis, with the primary aim of assessing forming compatibility rather than final product performance. Following calcination and controlled fritting, the waste material was processed through mold-based glass-forming experiments using firing schedules derived from thermal analysis. The results reveal pronounced chemical and thermal heterogeneity among enamel frit production wastes, leading to variable melting behavior across samples. Nevertheless, selected waste compositions exhibited sufficient viscous flow for shaping at reduced firing temperatures of approximately 850 °C. This study demonstrates that selected enamel frit production wastes—obtained from industrial enameling processes in slurry, powder, or granular form—can be reshaped into glass forms under controlled low-temperature conditions. The novelty of this study lies in investigating industrial enamel production frit waste as a reusable material within a circular economy framework, specifically focusing on its application in mold-based glass forming for artistic and educational contexts, thereby fostering collaboration between industrial waste management and glass art practice.