article · Arabian Journal of Chemistry
This study evaluates the effect of removing alkaline earth carbonates from Moroccan red clay used alongside tea waste as a pore-forming agent to produce micro-porous ceramics. Researchers analysed thermal behaviour, dimensional changes, porosity, and mechanical strength across firing temperatures ranging from 900 to 1150 degrees Celsius. Ceramic materials retaining carbonates exhibited greater weight loss, higher water absorption, and increased porosity compared to carbonate-free formulations. In contrast, removing the carbonates yielded ceramics with notably higher mechanical strength. Examination of the microstructure showed that higher firing temperatures, particularly at 1100 and 1150 degrees Celsius, promoted vitrification, forming vitrified bridges between particles alongside minerals like anorthite, hematite, and quartz. These structural changes peaked at 1150 degrees Celsius, maximising flexural and indirect tensile strength while open porosity steadily decreased due to heightened sintering.
Developing durable micro-porous ceramics from local red clay and organic by-products, such as tea waste, provides an accessible route for producing functional materials. By demonstrating that removing carbonates substantially enhances mechanical strength, this research clarifies how preliminary mineral processing influences the structural integrity of porous ceramics, helping material scientists balance high strength with appropriate porosity.
The findings are directed towards membrane support applications, which could be relevant to manufacturers of ceramic filtration systems and industrial water treatment components. The use of Moroccan red clay and tea waste presents an opportunity for lower-cost raw materials. However, this study represents early-stage laboratory material characterisation, meaning full filtration performance testing and pilot-scale manufacturing are still required before commercial implementation.
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The influence of the removal of carbonates on the ceramic properties made of Moroccan red clay as a main material and tea waste as pore-forming agent, has been investigated. ATD-TG, dilatometry, dimensional changes, weight loss, water absorption, open porosity, bulk density, flexural and indirect tensile strengths were assessed at different firing temperatures within the range of 900-1150 ◦C. SEM was used to evaluate the microstructures of the fired samples, while XRD was used to study the phase evolution. At varying firing temperatures, the materials which contains the carbonate (CC) exhibit greater weight loss, water absorption, and porosity compared to the materials without carbonate (NCC). On the other hand, NCC materials has greater mechanical strength than that CC materials. The microstructural analysis conducted through SEM revealed distinct changes in the fired samples when comparing observations at 1100 °C to those at 900 and 1000 °C. At 1100 °C, there was a noticeable increase in particle contacts and layered structures, which can be attributed to the presence of dehydroxylated clay minerals (illite and chlorite), quartz particles, and pores formed during firing. Subsequently, at 1150 °C/ 2h, further alterations in the microstructures were observed due to a higher degree of vitrification in the fired samples. This resulted in material consolidation, interparticle and neck contacts, leading to the formation of vitrified bridges. Firing has resulted in the formation of closed and open pores of varying sizes, in the vitrified structures associated with anorthite, hematite, and quartz, a thin crystal precipitation of small particles was observed. This alteration in microstructure made it possible to conclude that the flexural and indirect tensile strength increased during firing, reaching its pinnacle at 1150 °C. As a result of the firing process, the ceramic supports underwent heightened sintering, leading to a gradual decline in open porosity. The present inquiry proved to be intriguing as it led to a deeper understanding of the utilization of Moroccan red clay as a ceramic’s raw material.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.arabjc.2023.105484
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