The production of sintered glass-ceramics & glass-ceramic matrix composite materials could be a promising way to re-evaluate the inert glass obtained from the vitrification treatment of industrial sludges. A processing route for the production of sintered glass-ceramics (a sinter-crystallisation process) was set up to optimise the sintered density & microhardness of the obtained products. The obtained dense glass-ceramics exhibited a bending strength much higher than similar materials used for paving tiles. Glass- ceramic matrix composites were obtained by adding powered glass with micron - sized alumina mono-crystals (AL2O3 platelets). Although the bending strength did not increase significantly with increasing content, due to the incomplete densification of such composites, a promising enhancement of fracture toughness, as compared to the un-reinforced matrix was effective.
