Dredged marine soil stabilization using magnesia cement augmented with biochar/slag

Dredged marine soils(DMS)have poor engineering properties,which limit their usage in construction projects.This research examines the application of reactive magnesia(rMgO)containing supplementary cementitious materials(SCMs)to stabilize DMS under ambient and carbon dioxide(CO_(2))curing conditions.Several proprietary experimental tests were conducted to investigate the stabilized DMS.Furthermore,the carbonation-induced mineralogical,thermal,and microstructural properties change of the samples were explored.The findings show that the compressive strength of the stabilized DMS fulfilled the 7-d requirement(0.7-2.1 MPa)for pavement and building foundations.Replacing rMgO with SCMs such as biochar or ground granulated blast-furnace slag(GGBS)altered the engineering properties and particle packing of the stabilized soils,thus influencing their performances.Biochar increased the porosity of the samples,facilitating higher CO_(2) uptake and improved ductility,while GGBS decreased porosity and increased the dry density of the samples,resulting in higher strength.The addition of SCMs also enhanced the water retention capacity and modified the pH of the samples.Microstructural analysis revealed that the hydrated magnesium carbonates precipitated in the carbonated samples provided better cementation effects than brucite formed during rMgO hydration.Moreover,incorporating SCMs reduced the overall global warming potential and energy demand of the rMgO-based systems.The biochar mixes demonstrated lower toxicity and energy consumption.Ultimately,the rMgO and biochar blend can serve as an environmentally friendly additive for soft soil stabilization and permanent fixation of significant amounts of CO_(2) in soils through mineral carbonation,potentially reducing environmental pollution while meeting urbanization needs.

Stabilisation of Pb in Pb Smelting Slag-Contaminated Soil by Compost-Modified Biochars and Their Effects on Maize Plant Growth

Compost has been used to stabilise lead (Pb) in soil. However, compost contains a high level of dissolved organic matter (DOM) which may make Pb bioavailable in plant and thereby limiting its effectiveness and application. Addition of biochar to compost can reduce this effect. Rice husk (RH) and Cashew nut shell (CNS) biochars and compost-modified biochars were used in comparison to compost for stabilizing Pb in lead smelting slag (LSS)-contaminated soil (Pb = 18,300 mg/kg) in Nigeria. Efficiency of Pb stabilisation in control and amended soils was assessed using CaCl2 batch leaching experiment and plant performance. In pot experiments, maize plant was grown on the contaminated soil and on soil treated with minimum and optimum doses of the amendments singly and in combination for 6 weeks. Agronomical and chemical parameters of the plants were measured. CaCl2-extractable Pb in the untreated soil was reduced from 60 mg/kg to 0.55 mg/kg in RHB amended soils and non-detectable in other amended soils. RH-biochar/compost increased plant height, number of leaf and leaf area more than the others. Similarly, at minimum rate, it reduced root and shoot Pb by 91% and 86.0% respectively. Compost-modified rice husk biocharstabilised Pb in lead smelting slag contaminated soil reduced Pb plant uptake and improved plant growth. Lead stabilisation through the use of rice husk biochar with compost may be a green method for remediation of lead smelting slag-contaminated soil.

Atrazine Sorption by Biochar, Tire Chips, and Steel Slag as Media for Blind Inlets: A Kinetic and Isotherm Sorption Approach

Surface inlets are installed in subsurface drainage systems to reduce ponding duration and surface runoff, but can contribute to water quality concerns by allowing water to directly enter buried drains. Blind inlets consist of perforated pipes covered with gravel and are separated from an overlying sand layer by a geotextile membrane and have been shown to be more effective in reducing losses of sediment, nutrients, and pesticides than typical tile line risers. In this study, we investigated whether the effectiveness of blind inlets to sorb pollutants, with emphasis on the herbicide atrazine, could be further improved by amended them with materials other than limestone. The media, shredded tires (tire chips), electric arc steel furnace slag (steel slag), and oak-derived biochar were chosen because they are readily available, inexpensive, and do not present environmental concerns. Kinetic sorption and isotherms were determined to ascertain atrazine sorption by these materials, in addition to testing for potential metal leaching using the Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (SPLP) and the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP). The kinetic data were fitted using pseudo first- and second-order reaction equations and indicated that atrazine sorption rate was 38 times faster and equilibrium was reached 5 times earlier for biochar than tire chips. The 24-h sorption isotherm data were fitted to the Freundlich sorption equation. The sorption coefficient for biochar was higher than for tire chips, steel slag, and limestone. Per the SPLC and TLCP tests, there was no leaching of heavy metals at levels of environmental concern. Our results suggested that the effectiveness of blind inlets as well as other conservation practices that include filter media such as rain gardens and filter socks could be improved by incorporating more reactive materials than sand and gravel with biochar being a particularly effective alternative.

Effects of biochar-amended alkali-activated slag on the stabilization of coral sand in coastal areas

Coral sand is widely encountered in coastal areas of tropical and subtropical regions.Compared with silica sand,it usually exhibits weaker performance from the perspective of engineering geology.To improve the geomechanical performance of coral sand and meet the requirement of foundation construction in coastal areas,a novel alkali activation-based sustainable binder was developed.The alkaliactivated slag(AAS)binder material was composed of ground granulated blast-furnace slag(GGBS)and hydrated lime with the amendment of biochar,an agricultural waste-derived material.The biocharamended AAS stabilized coral sand was subjected to a series of laboratory tests to determine its mechanical,physicochemical,and microstructural characteristics.Results show that adding a moderate amount of biochar in AAS could improve soil strength,elastic modulus,and water holding capacity by up to 20%,70%,and 30%,respectively.Moreover,the addition of biochar in AAS had a marginal effect on the sulfate resistance of the stabilized sand,especially at high biochar content.However,the resistance of the AAS stabilized sand to wet-dry cycles slightly deteriorated with the addition of biochar.Based on these observations,a conceptual model showing biochar-AAS-sand interactions was proposed,in which biochar served as an internal curing agent,micro-reinforcer,and mechanically weak point.

Effect of electrical parameters and slag system on macrostructure of electroslag ingot

To investigate the influence of electric parameters and slag system on the solidification quality of electroslag ingot during electroslag remelting,different power supply modes,current strengths and remelting slag systems were used to conduct electroslag remelting experiments on 304L austenitic stainless steel,and the macrostructure of electroslag ingots was analyzed.The results indicate that the depth of the metal pool decreases with the reduction of remelting frequency in the low frequency power supply mode.The effects of different power supply modes,such as low-frequency,direct current straight polarity(DCSP),and direct current reverse polarity(DCRP),on reducing the depth of the metal pool increase in that order.By reducing the remelting current strength in the same power supply mode,the depth of metal pool is reduced.When compared to the binary slag system of 70%CaF2+30%Al2O3,the ternary slag system of 60%CaF2+20%Al2O3+20%CaO is more effective in reducing the depth of the metal pool during remelting.Utilizing the 60%CaF2+20%Al2O3+20%CaO ternary slag system results in a shallower and flatter metal pool,with columnar crystal growth occurring closer to the axial crystal.This effect is observed for both low frequency and direct current(DC)power supply modes.

Dry Mix Slag—High-Calcium Fly Ash Binder. Part Two: Durability

This work investigates durability of cement-free mortars with a binder comprised of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) activated by high-calcium fly ash (HCFA) and sodium carbonate (Na2CO3): the soundness, sulfate resistance, alkali-silica reactivity and efflorescence factors are considered. Results of tests show that such mortars are resistant to alkali-silica expansion. Mortars are also sulfate-resistant when the amount of HCFA in the complex binder is within a limit of 10 wt%. The fineness of fly ash determines its’ ability to activate GGBFS hydration, and influence soundness of the binder, early strength development, sulfate resistance and efflorescence behavior. The present article is a continuation of authors’ work, previously published in MSA, Vol. 14, 240-254.

Comprehensive Utilization and Control Measures of Iron and Steel Slag

With the increase of steel production,the amount of steel slag piled up is on the rise.The article analyzes the current situation of blast furnace slag utilization,elaborates on the current treatment technology of blast furnace slag,and points out that in the future,the utilization of blast furnace slag will develop towards the direction of developing high value-added products,and the sensible heat recovery rate of blast furnace slag is expected to increase.Analyze the current application status and treatment process of converter slag.The comprehensive treat-ment technology of converter slag is limited by multiple factors,and it is proposed to control converter slag from the production source through"slag recycling".

Effects of iron oxide on crystallization behavior and spatial distribution of spinel in stainless steel slag

Chromium plays a vital role in stainless steel due to its ability to improve the corrosion resistance of the latter.However,the re-lease of chromium from stainless steel slag(SSS)during SSS stockpiling causes detrimental environmental issues.To prevent chromium pollution,the effects of iron oxide on crystallization behavior and spatial distribution of spinel were investigated in this work.The results revealed that FeO was more conducive to the growth of spinels compared with Fe2O3 and Fe3O4.Spinels were found to be mainly distrib-uted at the top and bottom of slag.The amount of spinel phase at the bottom decreased with the increasing FeO content,while that at the top increased.The average particle size of spinel in the slag with 18wt%FeO content was 12.8μm.Meanwhile,no notable structural changes were observed with a further increase in FeO content.In other words,the spatial distribution of spinel changed when the content of iron oxide varied in the range of 8wt%to 18wt%.Finally,less spinel was found at the bottom of slag with a FeO content of 23wt%.

Structural properties of residual carbon in coal gasification fine slag and their influence on flotation separation and resource utilization:A review

Coal gasification fine slag(FS)is a typical solid waste generated in coal gasification.Its current disposal methods of stockpil-ing and landfilling have caused serious soil and ecological hazards.Separation recovery and the high-value utilization of residual carbon(RC)in FS are the keys to realizing the win-win situation of the coal chemical industry in terms of economic and environmental benefits.The structural properties,such as pore,surface functional group,and microcrystalline structures,of RC in FS(FS-RC)not only affect the flotation recovery efficiency of FS-RC but also form the basis for the high-value utilization of FS-RC.In this paper,the characteristics of FS-RC in terms of pore structure,surface functional groups,and microcrystalline structure are sorted out in accordance with gasification type and FS particle size.The reasons for the formation of the special structural properties of FS-RC are analyzed,and their influence on the flotation separation and high-value utilization of FS-RC is summarized.Separation methods based on the pore structural characterist-ics of FS-RC,such as ultrasonic pretreatment-pore-blocking flotation and pore breaking-flocculation flotation,are proposed to be the key development technologies for improving FS-RC recovery in the future.The design of low-cost,low-dose collectors containing polar bonds based on the surface and microcrystalline structures of FS-RC is proposed to be an important breakthrough point for strengthening the flotation efficiency of FS-RC in the future.The high-value utilization of FS should be based on the physicochemical structural proper-ties of FS-RC and should focus on the environmental impact of hazardous elements and the recyclability of chemical waste liquid to es-tablish an environmentally friendly utilization method.This review is of great theoretical importance for the comprehensive understand-ing of the unique structural properties of FS-RC,the breakthrough of the technological bottleneck in the efficient flotation separation of FS,and the expansion of the field of the high value-added utilization of FS-RC.

Effect of Modified Biochar with Organic Fertiliser on the Growth and Development of Chinese Rose

In order to reduce the waste of resources and environmental pollution caused by excessive application of chemical fertilizers, improve the utilization rate of fertilizers, and promote the large-scale and high-quality development of the Chinese rose industry. In this experiment, corn stover biochar, phosphoric acid modified biochar and organic fertilizer were used as test materials, and the effects of mixed application of modified biochar and organic fertilizer on the growth and development of Chinese rose as well as soil physicochemical properties were investigated by using the method of pot planting test. The results showed that modified biochar with organic fertilizer had the most significant effect on the enhancement of soil pH, organic matter content and soil carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. After 120 d of planting, modified biochar with organic fertilizer had the most significant effect on the enhancement of plant height and crown width of Chinese rose;both organic fertilizer and modified biochar with organic fertilizer significantly increased the chlorophyll content of Chinese rose. The number of flowers and the number of branches were the highest in the modified biochar with organic fertilizer treatment. In conclusion, the application of modified biochar with organic fertilizer can better improve the soil pH, and increase the soil organic matter content and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio to change the biological traits of Chinese rose. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for the reduction of chemical fertilizers and the resource utilization of agricultural wastes and guarantee the sustainable development of the cut flower industry.

Lithium-Metal-Free Sulfur Batteries with Biochar and Steam-Activated Biochar-Based Anodes from Spent Common Ivy

Lithium-sulfur batteries are emerging as sustainable replacements for current lithium-ion batteries.The commercial viability of this novel type of battery is still under debate due to the extensive use of highly reactive lithium-metal anodes and the complex electrochemistry of the sulfur cathode.In this research,a novel sulfur-based battery has been proposed that eliminates the need for metallic lithium anodes and other critical raw materials like cobalt and graphite,replacing them with biomass-derived materials.This approach presents numerous benefits,encompassing ample availability,cost-effectiveness,safety,and environmental friendliness.In particular,two types of biochar-based anode electrodes(non-activated and activated biochar)derived from spent common ivy have been investigated as alternatives to metallic lithium.We compared their structural and electrochemical properties,both of which exhibited good compatibility with the typical electrolytes used in sulfur batteries.Surprisingly,while steam activation results in an increased specific surface area,the non-activated ivy biochar demonstrates better performance than the activated biochar,achieving a stable capacity of 400 mA h g^(−1)at 0.1 A g^(−1)and a long lifespan(>400 cycles at 0.5 A g^(−1)).Our results demonstrate that the presence of heteroatoms,such as oxygen and nitrogen positively affects the capacity and cycling performance of the electrodes.This led to increased d-spacing in the graphitic layer,a strong interaction with the solid electrolyte interphase layer,and improved ion transportation.Finally,the non-activated biochar was successfully coupled with a sulfur cathode to fabricate lithium-metal-free sulfur batteries,delivering a specific energy density of~600 Wh kg^(−1).

Interphase migration and enrichment of lead and zinc during copper slag depletion

An interphase migration and enrichment model of lead and zinc during molten copper slag depletion was established.The occurrence of various components in copper slag was predicted using sulfur-oxygen potential calculations and confirmed through high-temperature experiments.The recovery rate of copper can reach 90.13%under the optimal conditions of 1200°C,an iron to silicon mass ratio of 1.0,3 wt.%ferrous sulfide,and a duration of 45 min.Lead(54.07 wt.%)and zinc(17.42 wt.%)are found in the flue dust as lead sulfate,lead sulfide,and zinc oxide,while copper matte contains lead(14.44 wt.%)and zinc sulfide(1.29 wt.%).The remaining lead and zinc are encapsulated as oxides within the fayalite phase.

Corrosion behavior of co-gasification slag of furfural residue and coal on alumina-silica refractories

Gasification of furfural residue with coal can realize its efficient and clean utilization.But the high alkali metal content in furfural slag is easy to cause the corrosion of gasifier refractory.Two gasification coals with different silica alumina ratio and a furfural residue were selected in the study.The effects of furfural residue additions on corrosion of silica brick,corundum brick,high alumina brick and mullite brick were investigated by using XRD,SEM-EDS and Factsage Software,and the corrosion mechanism was analyzed.With increasing furfural residue addition,the permeability of the slags to high-aluminium-bearing refractories first decreases and then increases,while the permeability on silica brick shows a slight decrease trend.Leucite(KAlSi_(2)O_(6))with high-melting temperature is generated from the reaction of K_(2)O and SiO_(2)in slag with Al_(2)O_(3)in refractories after furfural residue is added,which hinders the infiltration of slag in refractories.Kaliophilite(KAlSiO_(4))of low-melting point is formed when K_(2)O content increases,and this contributes to the infiltration of slag in refractories.The acid-base reaction between slag and silica brick is distinctly occurred,more slag reacts with SiO_(2)in the silicon brick,resulting in a decrease in the amount of slag infiltrating into the silicon brick as furfural residue is added.The corrosion of silica brick is mainly caused by the acid-base reaction,while the corrosion of three alumina based refractory bricks of corundum,mullite and high alumina brick is determined by slag infiltration.A linear correlation between the percolation rate and slag viscosity is established,the slag permeability increases with decreasing viscosity,resulting in stronger permeability for the high Si/Al ratio slag with lower viscosity.

Detection of Al, Mg, Ca, and Zn in copper slag by LIBS combined with calibration curve and PLSR methods

The precise measurement of Al, Mg, Ca, and Zn composition in copper slag is crucial for effective process control of copper pyrometallurgy. In this study, a remote laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy(LIBS) system was utilized for the spectral analysis of copper slag samples at a distance of 2.5 m. The composition of copper slag was then analyzed using both the calibration curve(CC) method and the partial least squares regression(PLSR) analysis method based on the characteristic spectral intensity ratio. The performance of the two analysis methods was gauged through the determination coefficient(R^(2)), average relative error(ARE), root mean square error of calibration(RMSEC), and root mean square error of prediction(RMSEP). The results demonstrate that the PLSR method significantly improved both R^(2) for the calibration and test sets while reducing ARE, RMSEC, and RMSEP by 50% compared to the CC method. The results suggest that the combination of LIBS and PLSR is a viable approach for effectively detecting the elemental concentration in copper slag and holds potential for online detection of the elemental composition of high-temperature molten copper slag.

Phase equilibria relations in the V_(2)O_(5)-rich part of the Fe_(2)O_(3-)TiO_(2)-V_(2)O_(5) system at 1200℃ related to converter vanadium-bearing slag

The efficient recycling of vanadium from converter vanadium-bearing slag is highly significant for sustainable development and circular economy.The key to developing novel processes and improving traditional routes lies in the thermodynamic data.In this study,the equilibrium phase relations for the Fe_(2)O_(3)-TiO_(2)-V_(2)O_(5)system at 1200℃in air were investigated using a high-temperature equilibrium-quenching technique,followed by analysis using scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.One liquid-phase region,two two-phase regions(liquid-rutile and liquid-ferropseudobrookite),and one three-phase region(liquid-rutile-ferropseudobrookite)were determined.The variation in the TiO_(2)and V_(2)O_(5)contents with the Fe_(2)O_(3)content was examined for rutile and ferropseudobrookite solid solutions.However,on further comparison with the predictions of FactSage 8.1,significant discrepancies were identified,highlighting that greater attention must be paid to updating the current thermodynamic database related to vanadium-bearing slag systems.

Breaking the Fe_(3)O_(4)-wrapped copper microstructure to enhance copper-slag separation

The precipitation of Fe_(3)O_(4)particles and the accompanied formation of Fe_(3)O_(4)-wrapped copper structure are the main obstacles to copper recovery from the molten slag during the pyrometallurgical smelting of copper concentrates.Herein,the commercial powdery pyrite or anthracite is replaced with pyrite-anthracite pellets as the reductants to remove a large amount of Fe_(3)O_(4)particles in the molten slag,resulting in a deep fracture in the Fe_(3)O_(4)-wrapped copper microstructure and the full exposure of the copper matte cores.When 1wt%composite pellet is used as the reductant,the copper matte droplets are enlarged greatly from 25μm to a size observable by the naked eye,with the copper content being enriched remarkably from 1.2wt%to 4.5wt%.Density functional theory calculation results imply that the formation of the Fe_(3)O_(4)-wrapped copper structure is due to the preferential adhesion of Cu_(2)S on the Fe_(3)O_(4)particles.X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,Fourier transform infrared spectrometer(FTIR),and Raman spectroscopy results all reveal that the high-efficiency conver-sion of Fe_(3)O_(4)to FeO can decrease the volume fraction of the solid phase and promote the depolymerization of silicate network structure.As a consequence,the settling of copper matte droplets is enhanced due to the lowered slag viscosity,contributing to the high efficiency of copper-slag separation for copper recovery.The results provide new insights into the enhanced in-situ enrichment of copper from mol-ten slag.

Copper slag assisted coke reduction of phosphogypsum for sulphur dioxide preparation

The reduction of phosphogypsum(PG)to lime slag and SO_(2)using coke can effectively alleviate the environmental problems caused by PG.However,the PG decomposition temperature remains high and the product yield remains poor.By adding additives,the decomposition temperature can be further reduced and PG decomposition rate and product yield can be improved.However,the use of current additives such as Fe_(2)O_(3)and SiO_(2)brings the problem of increasing economic cost.Therefore,it is proposed to use solid waste copper slag(CS)as a new additive to reduce PG to prepare SO2,which can reduce the cost and meet the environmental benefits at the same time.The effects of proportion,temperature and thermostatic time on PG decomposition are investigated by experimental and kinetic analysis combined with FactSage thermodynamic calculations to optimize the roasting conditions.Finally,the reaction mechanism is proposed.It is found that adding CS to the coke and PG system can increase the rate of PG decomposition and SO_(2)yield while lowering the PG decomposition temperature.For example,when the CS/PG mass ratio increases from 0 to 1,PG decomposition rate increases from 83.38%to 99.35%,SO_(2)yield increases from 78.62%to 96.81%,and PG decomposition temperature decreases from 992.4℃to 949.6℃.The optimal reaction parameters are CS/PG mass ratio of 1,Coke/PG mass ratio of 0.06 at 1100℃for 20 min with 99.35%PG decomposition rate and 96.81%SO_(2) yield.The process proceeds according to the following reactions:2CaSO_(4)+ 0.7C + 0.8Fe_(2)SiO_(4)→0.8Ca_(2)SiO_(4)+ 0.2Ca_(2)Fe_(2)O_(5)+ 0.4Fe_(3)O_(4)+2SO_(2)+ 0.7CO_(2)Finally,a process for decomposing PG with coke and CS is proposed.

Multiscale analysis of fine slag from pulverized coal gasification in entrained-flow bed

Fine slag(FS)is an unavoidable by-product of coal gasification.FS,which is a simple heap of solid waste left in the open air,easily causes environmental pollution and has a low resource utilization rate,thereby restricting the development of energy-saving coal gasification technologies.The multiscale analysis of FS performed in this study indicates typical grain size distribution,composition,crystalline structure,and chemical bonding characteristics.The FS primarily contained inorganic and carbon components(dry bases)and exhibited a"three-peak distribution"of the grain size and regular spheroidal as well as irregular shapes.The irregular particles were mainly adsorbed onto the structure and had a dense distribution and multiple pores and folds.The carbon constituents were primarily amorphous in structure,with a certain degree of order and active sites.C 1s XPS spectrum indicated the presence of C–C and C–H bonds and numerous aromatic structures.The inorganic components,constituting 90%of the total sample,were primarily silicon,aluminum,iron,and calcium.The inorganic components contained Si–O-Si,Si–O–Al,Si–O,SO_(4)^(2−),and Fe–O bonds.Fe 2p XPS spectrum could be deconvoluted into Fe 2p_(1/2) and Fe 2p_(3/2) peaks and satellite peaks,while Fe existed mainly in the form of Fe(III).The findings of this study will be beneficial in resource utilization and formation mechanism of fine slag in future.

Dissolution behavior of Al_(2)O_(3)inclusions into CaO-MgO-SiO_(2)-Al_(2)O_(3)-TiO_(2)system ladle slags

To investigate the dissolution behaviors of Al_(2)O_(3)inclusions in CaO-5wt%MgO-SiO_(2)-30wt%Al_(2)O_(3)-TiO_(2)system ladle slags,confocal scanning laser microscopy was conducted on the slags with different TiO_(2)contents(0-10wt%),and scanning electron microscopy was performed to study the interfacial reaction between Al_(2)O_(3)and this slag system.The results disclose that the dissolution of Al_(2)O_(3)inclusions does not result in the formation of new phases at the boundary between the slag and the inclusions.In TiO_(2)-bearing and TiO_(2)-free ladle slags,there is no difference in the dissolution mechanism of Al_(2)O_(3)inclusions at steelmaking temperatures.Boundary layer diffusion is found as the controlling step of the dissolution of Al_(2)O_(3),and the diffusion coefficient is in the range of 4.18×10^(-10)to 2.18×10^(-9)m^(2)/s at 1450-1500℃.Compared with the solubility of Al_(2)O_(3)in the slags,slag viscosity and temperature play a more profound role in the dissolution of Al_(2)O_(3)inclusions.A lower viscosity and a lower melting point of the slags are beneficial for the dissolution.Suitable addition of TiO_(2)(e.g.,5wt%)in ladle slags can enhance the dissolution of Al_(2)O_(3)inclusions because of the low viscosity and melting point of the slags,while excessive addition of TiO_(2)(e.g.,10wt%)shows the opposite trend.

Effective separation of coal gasification fine slag: Role of classification and ultrasonication in enhancing flotation

Effective separation of residual carbon and ash is the basis for the resource utilization of coal gasification fine slag(CGFS).The conventional flotation process of CGFS has the bottlenecks of low carbon recovery and high collector dosage.In order to address these issues,CGFS sample taken from Shaanxi,China was used as the study object in this paper.A new process of size classification-fine grain ultrasonic pretreatment flotation(SC-FGUF)was proposed and its separation effect was compared with that of wholegrain flotation(WGF)as well as size classification-fine grain flotation(SC-FGF).The mechanism of its enhanced separation effect was revealed through flotation kinetic fitting,flotation flow foam layer stability,particle size composition,surface morphology,pore structure,and surface chemical property analysis.The results showed that compared with WGF,pre-classification could reduce the collector dosage by 84.09%and the combination of pre-classification and ultrasonic pretreatment could increase the combustible recovery by 17.29%and up to 93.46%.The SC-FGUF process allows the ineffective adsorption of coarse residual carbon to collector during flotation stage to be reduced by pre-classification,and the tightly embedded state of fine CGFS particles is disrupted and surface oxidizing functional group occupancy was reduced by ultrasonic pretreatment,thus carbon and ash is easier to be separated in the flotation process.In addition,some of the residual carbon particles were broken down to smaller sizes in the ultrasonic pretreatment,which led to an increase in the stability of flotation flow foam layer and a decrease in the probability of detachment of residual carbon particles from the bubbles.Therefore,SCFGUF could increase the residual carbon recovery and reduce the flotation collector dosage,which is an innovative method for carbon-ash separation of CGFS with good application prospect.