Ceramic Floor Research Articles

Quantifying the effectiveness of cleaning agents at removing drugs from laboratory benches and floor tiles

Understanding the effectiveness of laboratory and in-field cleaning methods for drugs is growing in importance as drug analysts, crime scene technicians, and hazardous materials response teams encounter traditional drugs, opioids, and novel substances with increasing regularity. While previous work has evaluated cleaning methods qualitatively, the quantitative effectiveness of cleaning agents in removing drugs from surfaces has received comparatively little attention. The goal of this work is to establish quantitative values for the effectiveness of cleaning agents in the removal of drugs from laboratory and first responder scenarios by investigating drug removal in particulate and residue form from laboratory benches and ceramic floor tiles. The cleaning techniques studied here include methanol, soap and water, OxiClean™, adhesive and methanol, and Dahlgren Decon. The removal of particulate drugs obtained from adjudicated casework was tested on a laboratory bench and ceramic floor tile; drug residue removal was tested on a laboratory bench. All cleaning agents had greater than 97% removal efficiency for both powders and residues off laboratory benches. Additional experiments completed with Dalhgren Decon and OxiClean™ on ceramic floor tiles, for the first responder scenario, found intact opioids could be recovered from surfaces and from within the cleaning solutions even after thirty minutes of interaction time. Solution-phase studies quantified the extent of degradation of opioids by these cleaning agents. The results from these experiments show that performance of typical cleaning agents is sufficient in the removal of drugs from surfaces, though additional studies to determine optimal methods of implementation are required.

Recycling of waste red mud for production of ceramic floor tile with high strength and lightweight

Low-cost ceramic floor tiles were successfully produced from recycling red mud with addition of kaolin. (NH4)6Mo7O24 were used as catalyst to alter the mullitization reaction pathway and promote the growth of mullite crystals. The effects of molybdate content and sintering temperature on morphologies and performances of resultant specimens were characterized in detail. The phase evolution and microstructure observation were conducted by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicate the ceramic floor tile with 6 wt% (NH4)6Mo7O24 addition exhibits a flexural strength of 185.6 MPa, bulk density of 1.45 g/cm3 and water absorption 5.5%, an intergrown microstructure composed of anisotropically grown mullite at 1180 °C. This work opens up the possibilities of the sintered ceramic as a building material since the ceramic system has good performances in flexural strength and bulk density.

Valorization of Municipal Waterworks Sludge to Produce Ceramic Floor Tiles

In municipal waterworks large amounts of waste in the form of sludge have to be discarded. This investigation focuses on the processing of ceramic floor tiles incorporated with a municipal waterworks sludge. Four floor tile formulations containing up to 10 wt. % of the municipal waterworks sludge were prepared in order to replace the kaolin. The floor tile processing route consisted of dry powder granulation, uniaxial pressing, and firing between 1190 and 1250 °C using a fast-firing cycle (<60 min). The densification behavior and technological properties of the floor tile pieces as function of the sludge addition and firing temperature were determined. The development of the microstructure was followed by XRD and SEM/EDS. The results show that the replacement of kaolin with municipal waterworks sludge, in the range up to 10 wt. %, allows the production of ceramic floor tiles (group BIb and group BIIa, ISO 13006 Standard) at lower firing temperatures. These results suggest a new possibility of valorization of municipal waterworks sludge in order to bring economic and environmental benefits.

Changes in technological properties and microstructure of clayey raw materials from the Corumbataí Formation upon drying: Relevance to dry route tilemaking process

Abstract The Ceramic District of Santa Gertrudes (CDSG) is the most important producer of ceramic floor and wall tiles in Brazil. Industries that produce ceramic tiles by dry route process have researched new technologies to dry the Corumbatai Formation (Fm) raw materials. It is due to environmental problem related to the dust emission in the air, produced by beneficiation areas where the raw ceramic materials have been dried. Laboratory experiment and technological test, simulating the current tile production processes in the CDSG, were performed in the present study in order to better understand the role of temperature on clayey rocks from Corumbatai (Fm) and to avoid losses in the current tile production process. Three different illitic raw materials of different degree of weathering and compactness (hard, intermediate and soft) already used to compose the ceramic batch were dried by sunlight and forced drying at 100 °C, 200 °C and 300 °C. Results after forced drying have shown changes at the raw material morphology and size distribution after grinding; also the progressive dehydration of the expandable clay minerals which have caused the plasticity and consistency loss of the raw material and consequently affected the quality of the product. Ceramic bodies presented decreasing linear shrinkage values, loss in their bending strength, and horizontal cracks in some bodies whose raw materials were forced to dry at 200 °C and 300 °C.

Derivation and application of the stream of variation model to the manufacture of ceramic floor tiles

ABSTRACTOne of the main problems in the manufacture of floor tiles is the dimensional variability of the ceramic product, which leads to the product having to be classified into different dimensional qualities with an increase in cost. In this article we propose a novel way of modelling the dimensional variability of ceramic floor tiles by the adaptation of the Stream of Variation model. The proposed methodology and its potential applicability contribute to the integration of process knowledge in the ceramic tile industry and allow tile manufacturers have a new methodology for process improvement, variation reduction and dimensional control.

Ceramic Floor Slipperiness Classification – A new approach for assessing slip resistance of ceramic tiles

Regarding the application of ceramic tiles there is a great importance of defining and measuring slip resistance of floor coverings. The objective of this study was to determine slipperiness of ceramic tiles and to make a comparative analysis on the different measurement methods. Laboratory slip resistance tests were conducted on 28 different ceramic tiles by three different methods providing the average angle of inclination, the pendulum test value and the coefficient of friction. By comparing the obtained test results, relationship between individual methods was determined. Based on this information Ceramic Floor Slipperiness Classification (CFSC), a new system was prepared concerning the selection and application of tiles.

Development ceramic floor tiles with increased shear and pressure strengths

Development ceramic floor tiles with increased shear and pressure strengths

Eco‐friendly composites based on ceramic tiles industrial wastes and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber

Ceramic floor tile production lines commonly produce two types of waste: ground fired biscuit waste of ceramic tiles (WGB) and ground glazed fired floor tiles waste (WGF). These two wastes come from the same starting alumina silicate base materials but differ in thermal treatments (further firing) and surface treatments (glazing). These waste ceramics were ground into fine powders and evaluated as potential fillers for acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR). The raw ceramic powders were investigated through X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray fluorescence, and laser scattering techniques. Particulate composites consisting of an NBR matrix with ceramic filler contents of 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, and 50% were prepared in the form of cubes and discs. Scanning electron microscopy was used to determine the filler distribution inside NBR matrix. Electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties were also investigated. The electrical permittivity ε′ and the dielectric loss ε″ were found to be higher in the case of NBR/WGB than those measured for NBR/WGF at the same filler content. The mechanical properties follow the same trend as that of the electrical properties. The thermal stability of 5 and 40% concentrations were studied and the results indicate that the WGB loaded samples showed higher thermal stability than the samples loaded with WGF. Finally, the utilization of these ground waste ceramics as fillers for NBR was recommended due to improvements in electrical insulation, antistatic behavior, and thermal stability, especially for the Biscuit waste. Note that at the 30 wt% concentration for both fillers in NBR, results in composites that fulfill the targets of economical and environmental goals. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:544–552, 2019. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers

Utilization of leonardite and coal bottom ash for production of ceramic floor tiles

The aim of this research was to exploit leonardite and coal bottom ash (CBA), which are waste products from coal power plants, for investigating their potential as raw materials in the production of ceramic floor tiles. The developments of ceramic body were mixed with traditional raw materials. Different proportions of ceramic materials were studied in order to explore the proper composition with a variety of wastes containing leonardite and coal bottom ash from 20% up to 80%. Unglazed tiles were produced by shaping through dry pressing and single firing. The physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of the samples were investigated. The total waste (CBA and leonardite) contained in the production was close to 42.8%, and it presented properties that are adequate for it to be classified in groups within the ISO 13006 standard, and yielded the highest flexural strength which enabled the obtained ceramic floor tile bodies to satisfy the requirement to be classified in group BIIa. The chemical resistances of the products were classified in the category UA group which passed the minimum requirement for classification as chemical attack, set by standard EN 14411.

Benefits of Using Ceramic Tile Waste For Making Sustainable Concrete

Ceramic waste deposit poses a number of environmental challenges, ranging from air, water and soil contaminations. Thus, the present investigation is centred on evaluating the technical viability and environmental benefits of using ceramic floor and wall tile wastes in sustainable concrete mixes. Both geotechnical and microstructural analysis were performed on three phas- es of the ceramics waste preparation: as powder, fine and coarse, and compared with the natu- ral aggregates. Regarding the physical properties, ceramic tile aggregates performed ade- quately well as the natural aggregates, except for the high water absorption observed in ceram- ics. Chemical composition tests conducted on the ceramic tile indicated that it possesses 64.557% silica, which is a pronounced feature of pozzolans. Consequently, ceramic floor and wall tile wastes can be processed for reuse in concrete.

Copper Vessels and Rice from Kamianets­Podilskyi

 The publication aims to draw scholarly attention to a group of the 17th century objects of Turkish origin from Kamianets-Podilskyi discovered in 2016 during the exploration of a foundry assemblage called Liudvisarni. The material was located in a layer of mixed loam with traces of a fire, full of broken brick «fingerings», ceramic floor tiles, fragments of kitchen and dining ceramics, a burnt tree and ashes. A «kitchen set» was found, consisting of four copper vessels: a large cooking pot, a pot with a handle (perhaps a frying pan), and two similar small «bowls» showing different levels of damage. Similar vessels to no. 1, 3, and 4 can be found in the collection of the 17th century Turkish copper dishes from Hungary, as well as in modern Turkey. Also noteworthy was the discovery of rice weevils from the burnt layer. Along with the pots, these findings indicate direct importation of copper vessels and rice. Consequently, the artefacts found in the enclosure between the southern (no. 2) and northern (no. 1) walls of the Turkish tower, as well as the palaeoethnobotanic materials, most likely refer to the time of Turkish garrison’s stay in Kamianets-Podilskyi during the period of the Podolia Eyalet (1672—1699)

The Collection of the Bricks and the Foor Tiles from the Javorník

Abstract The samples of the architectural details are the parts of depository in Ostrava form the year 2015. They are historical bricks and ceramic floor tiles from the buildings in the town Javorník (Czech Republic). The objects were dated and determined as a part of the buildings, which they are from. For these objects were prescribed the conditions to convenient placing.

Pendekatan Value Engineering untuk Optimasi Proses Pemilihan Material

Value Engineering is far more than a means of simply reducing existing costs. This method can be delineating alternatives and to suggest choices based on the necessity of the function based on cost-worth relationship. The principles of Value Engineering can be applied by any sectors as a management tool to control costs. In this case, Value Engineering is used in construction industry to optimize material selection process. Based on its function, the study put local ceramic from some brands. The output shows rank of criteria based on the floor function determine by respondents. Further analysis with decision matrix gives recommendation of the best value from several ceramic brands. Keywords: Value Engineering, Material Selection Process, Ceramic Floor

The use of sewage sludge in the production of ceramic floor tiles

Scientists proved that municipal sewage sludge contains many dangerous pathogens, toxic heavy metals, endocrine disruptors, drains, storm water runoff, hospitals, and industrial plants. Sewage sludge represents an extremely high ecological hazard to the environment. Due to the increasing amount of sludge generated from the wastewater treatments plants a strong demand for environmentally and effective safe reuse has arisen. One potential use of that waste is its incorporation in the production of ceramic tiles. The main aim of present work was to study the possibility of usage of this hazardous waste in floor ceramic tiles industry. A dried sludge waste was added in percentages from 5% up to 35% to a standard floor tile mix, molded, pressed uniaxially at 30MPa and then fired at temperatures reaching 1150°C for 15 min soaking time. The properties of both green and fired tiles were investigated as function of percent waste added. The vitrification parameters, which are linear firing shrinkage, water absorption, apparent porosity, and mechanical property, were determined and compared with ISO standards. Fired samples of the proposed mixtures were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). It was possible to obtain tiles that abided by ISO standards for maximum addition of 7% sludge fired at 1150°C (for water absorption<10%), and 10% sludge or 5% sludge for tiles fired at 1150°C and 1100°C, respectively (for water absorption>10%), which are recommended for both their economic and environmental benefits.

Hydration mechanism and strength properties of recycled aggregate concrete made using ceramic blended cement

AbstractA pozzolanic material ordinarily contains high amounts of siliceous or aluminous components, but has no cementitious property until when it reacts with calcium hydroxide, that is available in cement, in the presence of moisture. The present study evaluates the pozzolanicity of ceramic tile powder and its effect on both hydration mechanism and strength property of recycled aggregate concrete. It was seen that ceramic floor and wall tiles sourced from construction and demolition wastes, contain high silica and alumina oxides, which evidently showcased its pozzolanicity. This was further revealed by the microstructural images of ceramic blended cement. Strength properties of recycled aggregate concrete were enhanced with addition of ceramic powder and ceramic coarse fraction, more than the strength developed in the control concrete. The increased strength was an indication that the interfacial transition zone between the aggregate and blended cement paste enhanced the properties of recycled aggregate...

Characterization of clays from the Corumbataí formation used as raw material for ceramic industry in the Santa Gertrudes district, São Paulo, Brazil

The Ceramic District of Santa Gertrudes (CDSG) is the largest producer of ceramic floor and wall tiles in Brazil. Tile manufacturers in the CDSG use the single raw material, clayey rocks from the Corumbataí formation. Mineralogical, chemical, thermal and microstructural characterization of the clayey rocks from the Corumbataí formation have been performed in order to better understand effect of the studied properties on dry route tilemaking process. The results revealed different compositional features among the studied clayey raw materials. The bulk samples were dominated by clay minerals associated with quartz, feldspars and minor amount of hematite. All samples were complex mixtures where different types of clay minerals (illite, smectite, illite–smectite, kaolinite–smectite, chlorite, sometimes kaolinite) coexist in variable amount. The amount of clay minerals increased with a higher degree of weathering of studied samples. Different technological behavior was expected for studied raw materials due to their heterogeneous nature, in terms of mineral composition and weathering degree. To improve technological behavior of studied materials during tilemaking process an upgrade of the currently used raw materials preparation is recommended (raw materials maturation, more aggressive milling of raw materials, addition of plastic component and homogeneous mixing of plastic and non-plastic components).

Utilization of coal bottom ash as raw material for production of ceramic floor tiles

The aim of this research was to produce ceramic floor tiles using coal bottom ash (CBA), which is a no-value waste from coal power plants, as the raw material. CBA was first mixed with clay at various compositions to determine the proper ratio. Shaping through the dry pressing and single-firing route was chosen for this study. The properties of these ceramic tiles were investigated. Classification of these ceramic tiles has been adopted within the international standard, ISO 13006. Investigation of the optimum conditions for producing this product showed that coal bottom ash content combined with clay in the batch samples should not be more than 40 wt% and that the temperature for sintering was 1175 °C. The addition of sand could reduce linear shrinkage and increase the whiteness of the fired body. The products had less than 3 % water absorption, which is the property in the requirement of group BIb, but flexural strength was in the range of 22–30 MPa, which is the property in the requirement of group BIIa. The results obtained indicate that coal bottom ash when mixed with traditional raw materials has potential as a raw material for production of ceramic floor tiles.

Contact pressure distribution during the polishing process of ceramic tiles: A laboratory investigation

During the polishing process of porcelain tiles the difference in scratching speed between innermost and peripheral abrasives leads to pressure gradients linearly distributed along the radial direction of the abrasive tool. The aim of this paper is to investigate such pressure gradient in laboratory scale. For this purpose polishing tests were performed on ceramic tiles according to the industrial practices using a custom-made CNC tribometer. Gradual wear on both abrasives and machined surface of the floor tile were measured. The experimental results suggested that the pressure gradient tends to cause an inclination of the abraded surfaces, which becomes stable after a given polishing period. In addition to the wear depth of the machined surface, the highest value of gloss and finest surface finish were observed at the lowest point of the worn out surface of the ceramic floor tile corresponding to the point of highest pressure and lowest scratching speed.

Testing Quality of Ceramic Tiles in Order to Evaluate Condition of the Manufacturing Process

Problem of the research on quality of ceramic floor tiles remains still open. Their strength, and as a consequence possible applications, depend both on the constitution of ceramic composite, and on their degree of homogeneity. The method of controlling tile strength should be based on evaluating this feature in various cross-sections. Such measurements are very important because their mechanical properties are often not uniform across the whole surface. Standard control tests are not compliant with this requirement because they anticipate only destructive strength tests in their middle cross section.Application of the ultrasound method allows for the easy homogeneity estimation of ceramic composite in the tile. Transformation of the direct results for the resistance of material requires scaling of the measuring device what considerably expands the scope of research, however resistance parameters are not always necessary.Paper presents the research on the probe composed of 23 floor tiles with dimensions 600 x 600 and 600 x 300mm. Tiles has been sampled from the lot of material that had been built in the floor and shown excessive defectiveness (broken edges, pop-offs and breaks). The main purpose of experimental tests was to determine the homogeneity of ceramic material in various cross-sections of each tile. Big variation of ultrasound wave velocity within the range of many tiles shown the cause of quick loss of expected serviceable properties. In addition, has been carried out the measurements of the length, width and deformation of the surface of tiles. Dimensional deviations and deformations didn’t exceed the admissible values.

Influence of biological fluids in bacterial viability on different hospital surfaces and fomites

The hospital environment is susceptible to bacterial contamination along with survival in fomites and surfaces, allowing dissemination of potential pathogenic strains. The present research aimed to evaluate the influence of biological fluids in bacterial viability on fomites and surfaces commonly present in nosocomial environment. Four different fomites and surfaces (ceramic floor, cotton fabric fragments and synthetic fibers, and eggcrate foam mattress) were contaminated with potential pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae), then submitted to influence of biological fluids (blood, urine, artificial saliva). The viability of strains was evaluated at 24 hours after contamination and then in intervals of 7days, by the colony-forming unit count technique. S aureus presented viability (>70days) in all conditions tested, E faecalis and K pneumoniae had decreased viability over time, and E coli did not exhibit a growth relationship with surfaces or fluids. Persistence and adaptability capacity of potential pathogens in fomites and surfaces exposed to the patient are important for guidance, planning, and outlining of protocols for microorganism dissemination control and prevention in the health care environment.