| Traditional porcelain tile companies worldwide produce large amounts of residues
during the polishing process. The recycling of these porcelain polishing residue
becomes more critical. This study evaluates the incorporation of porcelain polishing
residues as a raw material to produce lightweight porous ceramics as a new insulation
material. Also, cellulose was used as the pore-making additive. The effect of sintering
temperature and cellulose additive on the sintering behavior of porous ceramics,
such as bulk density, linear shrinkage, water absorption were investigated. Flexural
strength of the fired specimens was measured by three-point bending method. Thermal
conductivities of the porous ceramics were predicted using laser flash method.
Microstructural and phase observations were performed by scanning electron
microscopy and X-ray diffractometry. Relatively low thermal conductivity of the samples
sintered at 1100oC was obtained at 0.097 W.m–1.K–1 when 2.5 wt% cellulose additive
was added, with low bulk density (<1 g.cm–3), water absorption (0.7%) and flexural
strength (3.09 Mpa). These results indicate that the porcelain polishing residues could
be used for lightweight porous ceramics production, thus giving rise to a new
possibility for an environmental management of this abundant waste.
[Keywords: Porous ceramic materials, Porcelain polishing residues, Thermal conductivity] |
