Sustainable glass and ceramics from agricultural wastes
Innovative glass and ceramics production using rice husks, cow bones, and periwinkle shells as sustainable raw materials. This approach aims to reduce reliance on traditional mining, offering environmental and economic benefits.
Overview
This innovative approach utilizes agricultural wastes such as rice husks, cow bones, and periwinkle shells to produce sustainable glass and glass ceramics. By transforming these abundant waste materials into valuable raw materials, this solution seeks to reduce the environmental impact associated with traditional mining and material extraction processes. The development of glass products such as beads and potentially bottles demonstrates both the versatility and sustainability of these alternative materials.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- Utilizes silica extracted from rice husks and calcium oxide from cow bones.
- Incorporates processed periwinkle shells in glass and ceramics production.
- Prototype production includes glass and glass ceramic beads.
- Future plans include prototyping glass wares such as bottles.
- Conventional production methods are adapted for these alternative materials.
Technology readiness level
This technology is currently at TRL 4, with laboratory validation of components and prototype production. Future steps include further prototype development, economic analysis, and the design of industrial-scale processing routes.
About Obafemi Awolowo University
Obafemi Awolowo University is a large, comprehensive public research university in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, with more than 32,000 students. Its campus combines a teaching and research farm, shared laboratories, technical workshops, and the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, enabling collaboration across academic, clinical, and operational settings. The Central Office of Research supports proposal development, grants administration, ethics, and external partnerships, while the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office handles IP protection, licensing, consultancy, and commercialization. Research support includes Nigeria’s Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), alongside competitive national and international funding.
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