Scandium modified zirconia extracted from red mud as a waste of alumina production

The total or partial utilization or recycling of bauxite processing waste (red mud) has the potential to reduce the harmful effect on the environment while simultaneously extracting the most valuable ingredient, scandium which is currently underutilized due to its high cost. The new efficient carbonation technology promises an assured supply of scandium and zirconium at a significantly reduced cost. Here, scandiumzirconium concentrate, extracted by hydrolysis from leachate after carbonate treatment of red mud, was subjected to sintering by ceramic technology at 1100$^\circ$C to produce scandia-stabilised zirconia (ScSZ). The XRD patterns demonstrate the successful doping of scandium into the zirconia lattice through the hydrolytic precipitation method. The ratio between the essential components of the functional ceramics Zr and Sc is approximately 4, which correlates with the doping level of ScSZ up to Zr$_{0.8}$Sc$_{0.2}$O$_{1.9}$.