| Ignimbrites (Ahlat Stone) with macro and micro-sized pores possessing independent
of each other are volcanic rocks. It is mainly used as a building material because of
its excellent insulation and easy to form material. The present study is aimed at
producing floor tile which incorporated Ahlat stone as an alternative raw material for
the ceramic industry. The effects of the increasing amount of Ahlat stone (1, 3 and 5
wt%) in the recipes on slurry rheology, physical properties of ceramic tiles, and
sintering were studied. Chemical components of raw materials and Ahlat stone were
determined using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and accordingly the recipes were
created. The surface morphology of tiles was scanned using scanning electron
microscope. When 3% Ahlat stone was added to the recipe, the flexural strength was
calculated as 540 kgf.cm–2. This value is 22% higher than the value which is specified
in the TSE standards. Therefore, tiles with a longer lifetime and more durability were
developed. In addition, the increased amount of Ahlat stone in the recipe reduced the
sintering temperature, thus energy saving was achieved during firing.
[Keywords: Ahlat stone, Ceramic engineering, Sintering, Mechanical properties] |
