Abstract
Mineralogical and technological characterization of ceramic raw materials from a new deposit located at Caxias city, Maranhão State—Brazil, was accomplished to determine their potential as raw materials for the ceramics industry in northeastern Brazil. The ceramic raw materials were collected from three different locations on the site and characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and thermogravimetry (TG). The XRF analysis of the fraction < 2 μm revealed that most samples had SiO2 (35–51 wt%), Al2O3 (19–29 wt%), Fe2O3 (2–21 wt%), MgO (0.7 to 4.5 wt%) and K2O (0.9 to 5 wt%) as components. Quartz, kaolinite, illite, hematite and montmorillonite were the main mineral phases identified. DTA and TG analysis confirmed the mineral identification. The technological potential of the ceramic raw materials was investigated by: cation exchange capacity (CEC), plastic behavior (Atterberg Limits), linear shrinkage at 950 °C (LSF), flexural strength (FS), apparent porosity (AP), water absorption (WA) and bulk density (BD). The main experimental results—WA (9–17%), AP (19–31%), FS (2.0–23 MPa), and the Atterberg limits—indicated that the ceramic raw materials investigated have high potential to be used to develop mass for red or structured ceramics, such as bricks and roof tiles.
Highlights
The civil construction sector is of great importance in the leading world economies since it contributes a significant share in gross domestic product
There are approximately twelve thousand small and medium-sized ceramic industries in Brazil, whose production units are concentrated in the southeast (66%) and south r(e2g5i%on)sr,ewgihoenrse, wthheemreotshteomveorsstizoevdercseizraemd iccerpaomleics ipnoltehseicnotuhnetrcyouanretrylocaareteldo.caAteltdh.oAulgt-h NhoorutghheaNstoBrtrhaezailsthBasraazislmhaasllear smmaarlkleert mshaarrkeet(~s9h%ar)e, t(h~e9%in)d, uthsetryindisuesxtrpyanisdeinxgp,anmdaiinngl,y smtruaicntulyrasltrcuecrtaumraicl caenrdamarictisatnicdcaerrtaismtiicccperroadmuicctpsr[o5d,6u]c. ts [5,6]
The specimens for physicomechanical tests were prepared from powder samples moistened at 8%, which were homogenized in a ball mill for 30 min and sieved (25 μm)
Summary
The civil construction sector is of great importance in the leading world economies since it contributes a significant share in gross domestic product. In Brazil, the construction sector represents about 3.9% of the gross domestic product, and it is estimated to grow by 4% in this sector in 2021 [2]. In this context, clay raw materials play an essential role because they are the basis for manufacturing various materials to meet the growing and demanding consumer market. There are approximately twelve thousand small and medium-sized ceramic industries in Brazil, whose production units are concentrated in the southeast (66%) and south r(e2g5i%on)sr,ewgihoenrse, wthheemreotshteomveorsstizoevdercseizraemd iccerpaomleics ipnoltehseicnotuhnetrcyouanretrylocaareteldo.caAteltdh.oAulgt-h NhoorutghheaNstoBrtrhaezailsthBasraazislmhaasllear smmaarlkleert mshaarrkeet(~s9h%ar)e, t(h~e9%in)d, uthsetryindisuesxtrpyanisdeinxgp,anmdaiinngl,y smtruaicntulyrasltrcuecrtaumraicl caenrdamarictisatnicdcaerrtaismtiicccperroadmuicctpsr[o5d,6u]c. Trehseurltessoublttsaionbetdaihnaevdehthaveepothteenptioatletnoticaolnt-o ctornibturitbeuwteitwh ittehchtencihcanliacanldasncdiesnctiiefinctiinfifcoirnmfoartimonataiobnouatbtohuetotchceuorrcecnucrereonfccelaoyf mclainyemrailns earnadls ainmdpirmovperothvee qthuealqituyaoliftyceorfacmericampriocdpurcotdsumctasnmufaanctuufraecdtuirnedthiins rtehgisiorne.gion
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