Investigation Of The Effect Of Vermiculite (Yıldızeli/Sivas) Addition On The Properties Of Sanitaryware Ceramic

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Sanitaryware is the generic term used to describe items which traditionally were made from pottery. i.e. toilets, washbasins, pedestals, bidet, urinals, sinks, bathtubs installed within a bathroom or washroom. Sanitaryware products are primarily made of clay, kaolin, feldspar and quartz but they may also include small quantities of other raw materials. Its high gloss, stain resistant surface is ideal for use in both bath-rooms and kitchens. Vermiculite, a mineral in which the hydromicas group occurs naturally, becomes a high-efficiency thermal insulation material when heated above 300 ℃. The expanded vermiculite can be used as a filler for heat insulating materials due to its unique properties, low bulk density, low thermal conductivity, relatively high melting point, chemical inertia, durability and environmental safety. In this study, the effects of vermiculite obtained from Yıldızeli/Sivas region on sanitaryware body properties were investigated. The materials used in this study are calcined vermiculite, quartz, clay, kaolin and feldspar ceramic raw materials. Sanitaryware compositions were prepared by using kaolin-feldspar-quartz ternary equilibrium diagram according to the appropriate recipe from the raw material. In accordance with this purpose; prepared sanitaryware bodies %0, 10 and 20 by weight calcined vermiculite (1050 oC 1 hour) was added to formed the body compositions. The samples were coded as S20V1100 (S: Sanitaryware; 20V: 20% vermiculite addition and 1100: 1100 °C firing temperature). Mixtures homogenized in Alumina ball mills (60 rpm, 24 hours) were shaped by uniaxial dry pressing (100 MPa). Then, the prepared pressed samples were fired at 1050-1100 and 1150 °C for 1 hour. Microstructure (SEM), phase analysis (XRD), mechanical (hardness, 3-point bending) and physical properties (% shrinkage, water absorption, porosity and density) tests were performed on the sanitaryware bodies produced. The obtained data were presented in graphs and tables and commented. Accordingly, the properties of the vermiculite doped specimens were successfully developed and the optimum parameters were clearly shown. According to the results, it has been shown that sanitaryware properties are improved with the increase of calcined vermiculite.