PROCESS FOR PREPARING CERAMIC FOAMS BASED ON RED MUD

The invention relates to a process for preparing ceramic foams based on red mud, to be used in catalytic processes, in retention of solid suspensions from gases and in water purification processes. According to the invention, the process consists in gelling a composition consisting of an aqueous suspension of red mud, possibly with kaolin and/or sodium silicate-acrylic acid and methylene bisacrylamide, by redox initiation, in order to obtain precursor ceramic bodies which undergo a heat treatment in air, to result in a ceramic foam having a porosity of 70...85% and an average pore diameter of 0.74...0.88 mm.