Polymer waste as a combustible additive for wall ceramics production

Abstract

The research presents the experimental results devoted to the charge composition development for the production of wall ceramic products, based on low plasticity clay using additives. One of the additives is polymer waste in the amount of 15 wt. %, in particular it is unplasticized polyvinyl chloride used as a combustible additive for increasing ceramics porosity thus decreasing its density and consequently the load on the basement when the walls are constructed. Besides it decreases thermal conductivity and improves energy efficiency of developed wall ceramics application. Boric acid is a second additive used as a fuse thus reducing the temperature of ceramics liquid-phase sintering and forming a vitreous phase, which increases the strength characteristics and reduces water absorption, and therefore increases the product frost resistance. However the vitreous phase amount is insignificant and the products still are characterized by porosity sufficient for density and thermal conductivity reduction up to the level of conditionally effective thermal performance. Thus the application of the developed wall ceramics facilitate the production of energy effective products, which can be used for multi-layers walls construction providing modern thermal engineering standards and rational consumption of building materials. Herewith the developed materials properties correspond to the requirements of solid ceramic bricks used in Russian climatic conditions and help to combine the functions of bearing, heat-insulating and partly facing layers to a certain extend thus expanding their application.