Environmental advantages of sodium feldspar as a natural flux

With the deepening of the national “dual carbon” strategy, the manufacturing industry is accelerating towards a new stage of green, low-carbon and efficient development. Recently, industry experts said at a number of industry forums that sodium feldspar (NaAlSi₃O₈), as an efficient and environmentally friendly natural flux, is being re-examined in the application value of ceramics, glass and enamel and other industrial fields, and is expected to occupy a more important position in the flux system.

Characteristics and Application of Sodium Feldspar

As one of the feldspar minerals, sodium feldspar is rich in sodium oxide (Na₂O), aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) and silicon dioxide (SiO₂), and its theoretical melting point is about 1100°C. Sodium Feldspar melts at high temperatures to form feldspar glass, which can effectively fill the gaps between green body particles and dissolve minerals such as kaolinite and quartz, thereby reducing the firing temperature and improving the mechanical strength, electrical properties and translucency of the product. In the ceramic industry, sodium feldspar accounts for up to 50% of the glaze, and in the glass industry it is one of the main ingredients, widely used to reduce the amount of alkali, adjust the viscosity of glass and prevent crystal precipitation.

Analysis of environmental advantages

Industry experts pointed out that compared with traditional chemical synthetic fluxes, sodium feldspar has obvious environmental advantages in resource acquisition, processing methods, use process and residue treatment.

First, sodium feldspar is a natural mineral resource. After mining, it can be used after physical crushing and screening, avoiding the high-energy consumption and highly polluting chemical synthesis process, and realizing green raw material substitution from the source.

Second, sodium feldspar has stable chemical properties, and its main components do not release toxic gases or harmful residues during sintering, which is different from some synthetic fluxes that may produce environmental and occupational health risk substances such as boron vapor and hydrogen fluoride under high temperature. Taking borax as an example, there is a certain proportion of boron volatilization risk during high-temperature melting, and an additional tail gas treatment system is required; while sodium feldspar does not require such treatment, which effectively simplifies the process and reduces the investment in environmental protection facilities.

It is worth mentioning that sodium feldspar is widely distributed all over the world, with abundant resource reserves and sustainable mining, which is in line with the current development trend of “localization and low carbonization” of the industrial chain. In terms of carbon footprint assessment, sodium feldspar does not contain carbonate structures and will not produce additional carbon dioxide release during the calcination process. Compared with traditional fluxing agents such as sodium carbonate, it can significantly reduce the carbon emissions per unit product. At the same time, its fluxing properties help to reduce the firing temperature, thereby indirectly reducing energy consumption.

Conclusion

With its environmentally friendly and efficient characteristics, sodium feldspar has become an ideal flux for the green development of the ceramic and glass industries. Henan Ankai New Materials Co., Ltd. relies on Henan’s rich sodium feldspar resources and advanced technology to supply high-purity products and help the industry’s low-carbon transformation. The company has demonstrated its environmental responsibility by optimizing mining and recycling technologies to reduce environmental loads.