The effect of high energy milling and high thermal treatment on the structure and thermal decomposition of minerals from natural CaO-SiO2-P2O5 ceramic system

Abstract

The major issue studied in this paper is a natural mineral aggregate of quartz, calcite, and fluorapatite (the raw material originated from Bulgaria) before and after high energy milling and thermal treatment, in the order to investigate the properties of natural CaO-SiO2-P2O5 ceramic system. The activation effects are monitored by chemical analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, and Thermal analysis (TG/DTG).The activation effect study shows: (i) change of chemical bond strength; (ii) deformation of structural polyhedrons with the formation of new isomorphic phases; (iii) the prolonged time of HEM activation leads to lower raw mineral stability and to the formation of new phases; iv) increased SiO2 reactivity resulting in solid-phase crystallization.The obtained results can be used in the study of ceramic and cement materials (ancient and modern), soil conditioners, etc.