Author Identifier (ORCID)
Abstract
Every year, large quantities of glass waste and spent coffee grounds are disposed of in landfills worldwide. In this study, these two underutilized wastes were employed as raw materials to synthesize value-added SiC-bearing abrasive products. Ground glass powder and dried coffee grounds were subjected to carbothermal reduction in an oxygen-free atmosphere at 1550 °C to form SiC by the reduction of SiO₂. A continuous gas analyzer, coupled with an HD video camera, was used to monitor and record the reaction process in real-time. The resulting solid products were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy-Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and nitrogen adsorption–desorption analysis. The BET surface area was found to be 97.18 m²/g, and the type IV isotherm with H1 hysteresis confirmed the formation of mesoporous SiC with a well-defined pore structure. The reduction process completed rapidly, with volatile gases released within the first 5 min, yielding SiC as the dominant phase along with minor residual impurities from the precursor materials. Overall, this study highlights two key outcomes: the development of a high-value abrasive material from neglected waste resources and the potential to reduce reliance on conventional raw materials.
Keywords
abrasives, coffee grounds, SiC, waste glass
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
1-1-2026
ISSN
18772641
Publication Title
Waste and Biomass Valorization
Publisher
Springer
School
School of Engineering
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Content Type
Metadata only
Recommended Citation
This is an Author's Accepted Manuscript of: Mahmood, A. A., Hossain, R., Islam, M. B., & Das, B. K. (2026). Waste-to-silicon carbide: Sustainable synthesis of SiC-bearing materials from spent coffee grounds and glass waste. Waste and Biomass Valorization. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-026-03687-9
This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-026-03687-9