LAUSR

Abstract Stainless steel slag-based CaO–Al2O3–MgO–SiO2 (CAMS) glass ceramics were prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS), which provided enhanced hardness, reaching a maximum of 16.3 GPa at 800 °C. The crystallinity of diopside (the main crystalline phase) increased with sintering temperature. Under pressure, diopside directionally grows parallel to the pressure direction. Moreover, the glass network structure can be homogenised by raising the holding temperature to 800 °C. Stress analysis shows that the tensile stress is mainly distributed in the diopside region, whereas the compressive stress is distributed in the glass matrix. As the temperature increases, the stress in the glass network is transferred from Q0 and Q1 to Q2 and Q3. The results can enhance our understanding of high value-added consumption of solid waste for applications in areas requiring high performance glass ceramics.