Reduction Of Sintering Temperature Research Articles

Microwave dielectric properties of V2O5/CeO2 doped (Mg0.95Ca0.05)TiO3‐MgO and their application to a dielectric filter

AbstractThe phase composition, microstructure, sintering characteristics, and microwave dielectric properties of nonstoichiometric MgTiO3‐CaTiO3 ceramics containing an additional 0.2 mol MgO, compositely doped with various amounts of V2O5 and CeO2 additives, were studied. The results revealed that adding an optimum amount of V2O5 and CeO2 could effectively impede second‐phase formation in Mg0.95Ca0.05TiO3‐MgO. High amounts of Mg2+ can react with MgTi2O5 to reduce the content of the secondary phase. The addition facilitated the densification of the microstructure and reduction of sintering temperature. Moreover, the dielectric performances of the material were significantly influenced by V2O5 and CeO2. Mg0.95Ca0.05TiO3‐MgO doped with 0.75 wt% CeO2 exhibited excellent frequency and temperature stabilities. In particular, when co‐doped with 0.5 wt% V2O5 and 0.75 wt% CeO2, Mg0.95Ca0.05TiO3‐MgO exhibited optimum properties after sintering at 1300°C for 2 h; a dielectric constant εr ∼ 19.92 (7 GHz),a Q×f value ∼ 65,236 GHz, and a τf value ∼ −2.03 ppm/°C. This indicates the potential of the material for microwave communication applications. Finally, a dielectric filter with a center frequency of 11.55 GHz was successfully designed and fabricated using a Mg0.95Ca0.05TiO3‐MgO sample co‐doped with 0.5 wt% V2O5 and 0.75 wt% CeO2.The filter exhibited excellent performance with a bandwidth of less than 1.5 is about 40 MHz, the loss at the center frequency point was 0.7 dB, and the 3‐dB bandwidth exceeded 200 MHz, which holds a significant practical value.

MgAl2O4 spinel with transmittance approaching theoretical value at reduced sintering temperatures

Magnesium aluminate spinel is known to be a material with a good combination of mechanical properties, resistance against chemical attack and a high melting point, being thus a very promising material for application as a transparent material in harsh, high-temperature environments where glass fails. To improve the control over the microstructural evolution during sintering, Eu3+, Y3+ Mg2+ and their combinations were introduced as doping elements. The goal of the study was to optimize processing of fine spinel powder and investigate the potential for enhancing MgAl2O4 spinel density and in-line transmittance by using elements segregating to grain boundaries. The total and in-line transmittance were measured, and the characteristic pore size for transparent samples calculated based on the Rayleigh scattering approximation. Eu-doping proved to be effective in lowering the residual pore size and thus achieving in-line transmittance approaching the theoretical value at relatively low sintering temperatures (1400 °C).

Ceramic Embedding of SiC-Semiconductor Using Cofiring Technology

The presented work demonstrates our current state in embedding of SiC power electronic dies using Ceramic Multilayer Technology. The novelty of the approach presented includes the cofiring of a semiconductor element with ceramic base material, which demands for a reduced sintering temperature of ceramics (using LTCC or ULTCC based ceramics) in combination with an increased temperature stability of the semiconductor.

Design and manufacturing by fused filament technique of novel YSZ porous grafts infiltrated with PCL/PVA/AgNPs for large bone defects repairing

Addressing large bone segmental defects remains a profound challenge in orthopaedic surgery, demanding graft designs that mirror patient-specific defects while ensuring vascularization, osteoconduction, and structural integrity. Conventional approaches fall short in achieving this level of customization and functionality. This work leverages fuse filament fabrication (FFF) to fabricate innovative yttria stabilize zirconia graft designs that combine several strategies to tackle these multifaceted challenges. Graft designs ingeniously incorporate dense and porous structures mimicking the intricate architecture of natural bone for improved structural integrity and different ridges and protrusions to enhance the fixation. Additionally, these grafts undergo infiltration with PCL/PVA/AgNPs composite polymers, enriching biocompatibility, structural integrity, and antibacterial properties, fostering conducive conditions for optimal bone growth. Attaining printable filaments with YSZ powders below 50 nm and loads reaching 50 vol% marks a pioneering advancement in bone graft fabrication via Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). This enabled high densification and low grain size at reduced sintering temperatures, imperative to achieve high mechanical performance. The biodegradation capacity of biopolymers in PBS and their role in the mechanical behaviour of grafts have been assessed, demonstrating the beneficial potential of the multicomponent graft proposed reaching strength values of 90–105 MPa.

Improving energy storage performance of barium titanate-based ceramics by doping MnO2

MnO2 was used as a sintering additive to reduce sintering temperature of the 0.92(Ba0.94Li0.02La0.04)(Mg0.04Ti0.96)O3-0.08Bi(Zn1/2Ti1/2)O3 (0.92BLLMT-0.08BZT) ceramic thick film and promote sintering process. At the same time, MnO2 doping is beneficial for reducing dielectric loss and leakage current, and improving insulation performance, thus, breakdown field strength (BDS) of ceramics is increased. In addition, MnO2 doping introduces defect energy levels, and increases lattice distortion and polarization intensity, thereby changing the crystal structure and microstructure morphology, and improving energy storage density and thermal stability. The BDS reaches 650 kV/cm electric field with 0.5 mol% MnO2 doping, where the ceramic thick film achieves a discharge density (Wdis) of 5.51 J/cm3, ultra-high power density (PD = 443.87 MW/cm3) and current density (CD = 1365.74 A/cm2). The ceramic thick film exhibits good thermal stability with Wdis change rate of only 16.47 % within room temperature to 170 °C under 200 kV/cm. Such excellent comprehensive performance can be attributed to the decrease of grain size, defect concentration, and leakage current, and the formation of polar nano regions in the BT-based ceramics caused by MnO2 doping and cations substitution at A-site and B-site of the perovskite structure. This study provides valuable insights for the research of lead-free dielectric ceramic capacitors, and the 0.92BLLMT-0.08BZT-0.5 mol% Mn ceramic thick film presents good development prospect in high-power pulse energy storage system.

Fabrication of fine‐grained Li2TiO3 ceramic with enhanced performance using high‐energy ball milling

AbstractNumerous efforts have been made to fabricate Li2TiO3 tritium breeding ceramics with satisfactory density and mechanical strength while maintaining a fine grain structure. In this study, high‐energy ball milling was performed to promote grain refinement and amorphization of TiO2 and Li2CO3 powders, thereby preparing Li2TiO3 ceramic at a reduced sintering temperature. In the presence of high‐energy ball milling, powder mixtures with particle sizes of 24–29 nm were obtained, and the formation of β‐Li2TiO3 occurred at 400°C. The relative density and crushing load of Li2TiO3 ceramic pebbles improved as the ball‐to‐powder ratio and milling time increased. The Li2TiO3 ceramic pebbles sintered at 900°C exhibited a tiny grain size, satisfactory relative density (89%), and excellent crushing load (121 ± 13 N). The results also demonstrated that Li2TiO3 ceramic possessed the maximum thermal conductivity and ionic conductivity under the conditions of a 20:1 ball‐to‐powder ratio and 20 h milling time, that is, 5.028 W/m·K and 1.87×10−2 S/m at room temperature. Overall, the high‐energy ball milling process has shown advantages in the fabrication of tritium breeding ceramics with fine‐grained structure and excellent comprehensive performance.

Hybrid low‐temperature sintering processes of electro‐ceramics

AbstractCold sintering process (CSP) developed recently has attracted much attention due to the ultralow sintering temperatures and high efficiencies with the assist of transient liquid phase (TLP). Based on CSP, we have further established a protocol for low‐temperature sintering processes by combining TLP with other sintering technologies, including hybrid sintering process with microwave and TLP (MW‐TLP), and hybrid sintering process with spark plasma sintering and TLP (SPS‐TLP). Three typical electro‐ceramics (TiO2, CaWO4, and ZnO) are selected, which are highly densified (>97%) with excellent electrical properties at reduced sintering temperatures, applied pressures or holding times, demonstrating the feasibility of MW‐TLP and SPS‐TLP in fabricating electro‐ceramics. Especially, the Q × f value of TiO2 ceramics (38,020 GHz) prepared by MW‐TLP at 1000°C is 46.2% and 23.4% higher than that of microwave and spark plasma sintered samples, respectively, and comparable to traditional thermal sintered (TTS) samples at 1300–1400°C. The dielectric properties of MW‐TLP CaWO4 ceramics sintered at 900°C for 2 h are comparable to TTS samples sintered at 1000–1300°C for 2–5 h. ZnO ceramics can be highly densified (∼98%) by SPS‐TLP with mild sintering conditions (200–300°C and 3.8–50 MPa) compared to SPS (>500°C) and CSP (>100 MPa). The frameworks of fundamental mechanisms are outlined together with the experimental data. It is expected that this work will provide promising sintering methods to fabricate electro‐ceramics and offer inspirations on sintering combinations to develop low‐temperature sintering processes with high efficiencies.

Modified (Ba,Sr)(Sn,Ti)O3 via hydrothermal synthesis for electrocaloric application

Electrocaloric cooling systems require components with large entropy change at the desired working temperature, high electric breakdown strength and low dielectric losses. We here report on hydrothermal synthesis (HTS) route for preparation of lead-free electrocaloric (EC) material Ba0.82Sr0.18Sn0.065Ti0.935O3 (BSSnT-18-6.5) with a median particle size of d50 = 150 nm. Influence of molar ratio (Ba,Sr):(Sn,Ti) on the purity and particle size of hydrothermally synthesized powders is investigated. The sintering behavior and the resulting microstructure of bulk ceramic samples prepared with HTS powders as well as their dielectric, ferroelectric, and electrocaloric properties are analyzed and discussed in detail. By using HTS powders we could significantly reduce sintering temperature from 1400 °C to 1275 °C. Samples prepared with a molar ratio (Ba,Sr):(Sn,Ti) of 1.6 show a maximum EC temperature change |ΔTEC| of 0.59 K around 30 °C with a broad peak of |ΔTEC| > 0.3 K in the temperature range from 5 °C to 65 °C under an applied electric field change of 5 V μm−1. Our results show that hydrothermal synthesis is well suited to produce starting powders of lead-free electrocaloric materials for future fabrication of multilayer ceramic (MLC) components.

Antiferroelectric ceramic capacitors with high energy-storage densities and reduced sintering temperature

Field-driven transition from antiferroelectric (AFE) to ferroelectric (FE) states has gained extensive attention for microelectronics and energy storage applications. High dielectric-breakdown-strength (DBDS) for a given material is a necessity to attain full capacity of electrical energy storage. An approach to increasing energy performances is to modulate the related materials to own a higher phase transition electric field (EFE-AFE) using elemental dopants. In this case, Cd2+ was selected as the dopant at A-site in the Pb0.97La0.02Zr0.50Sn0.45Ti0.05O3 ceramics to tailor this EFE-AFE value due to the ionic difference enhanced antiferroelectricity. Surprisingly, the doped ceramics increased EFE-AFE by half, DBDS by 16 %, and maintained energy storage efficiency η of over 85 %, providing a way to improve energy storage density. It is worth mentioning that while the performance has been improved, the sintering temperature has been reduced by 170 °C. At the same time, the ceramics maintain good temperature stability, extremely fast discharging speed and discharging energy storage density, indicative of a promising choice in pulse power devices.

Sintering energy conservation in extrusion-based 3D printing of porcelain ceramics blended with copper and allied alloys: A sustainable approach

This study investigates the use of copper particles in porcelain ceramics for reduced sintering temperature effort as a part of a sustainable environment. Porcelain powder is mixed with 10 wt% copper powder, 25.3 wt% water, and 12.6 wt% ethanol, and the rheological characterization is made. The rheological characterization of the initial slurry and the phases that evolved during sintering at various temperatures were studied. With suitable rheology of slurry, prototype parts are manufactured by 3D printing. The length-to-diameter ratio of the nozzle, stand-off distance, and type of underlying substrates are also observed to influence the printability. The sintering is performed in the temperature range of 500 °C–1200 °C. The sintered parts were characterized for various phases in the selected temperature range. In addition, a study was conducted to find sintering temperature variation with the percentage of copper addition made by mixing brass and bronze with multiple compositions of zinc and tin, respectively. Once the standards are established with copper in a research-based printer, porcelain with other elements is printed on a bulk printer, ensuring repeatability. The retention of natural binder kaolinite at various temperatures is also verified. This study also opens a new dimension for sustainable multi-material ceramic 3D printing with increased solid loading at ease with required customization. The results showed that adding copper particles to the porcelain powder reduced the sintering temperature by up to 200 °C. The study concluded that adding copper particles to porcelain is a promising method for sustainable 3D printing of ceramics.

Densification and microstructure of a ZrO2–SiO2 glass-ceramic prepared by using mesoporous particles as raw powder

Ceramic sintering is an energy-consuming process. Reducing sintering temperature and shortening dwelling time are significant to the reduction of carbon footprint. It has been reported that utilizing mesoporous particles as raw powder for sintering is a promising strategy to achieve the above goal. The goal of this study is to verify if this strategy also works for the sintering of ZrO2–SiO2 glass-ceramics. We synthesized mesoporous particles through a micelle-assisted co-precipitation process, followed by sintering by fast hot pressing (FHP) and pressureless sintering (PS) to obtain ZrO2–SiO2 glass-ceramics. For comparison, solid particles without mesopores were synthesized by a sol-gel method and consolidated by the two sintering techniques. The densification behaviors of the two types of particles were comparatively investigated. Results showed that the mesopores collapsed at ∼850 °C during FHP due to the applied pressure, which resulted in a peak densification rate during the whole sintering process. The mesoporous particles (∼820 °C) had a lower densification starting temperature than that of the solid particles (∼910 °C). However, the mesoporous particles showed a longer densification process and a lower average densification rate than those of the solid particles. The samples sintered from mesoporous particles showed a heterogeneous microstructure, predominately consisting of ZrO2 nanocrystallites embedded in a SiO2 matrix, but in some regions ZrO2 sub-microcrystallites were connected with each other by grain boundaries, without the presence of SiO2 matrix. During PS, there was not significant differences in the densification between the mesoporous particles and the solid ones. These results demonstrated that the mesoporous particles did not show significant advantages over solid ones, in terms of the densification of ZrO2–SiO2 glass-ceramics.

Achieving high relative density and low resistivity in indium tin oxide targets via Bi2O3-CeO2 additive

Indium tin oxide (ITO) target, an important raw material of ITO films, is difficultly prepared by traditional sintering due to the volatilization and partial dissociation at high sintering temperature. In this work, the high-density and low-resistivity ITO targets were prepared with Bi2O3-CeO2 additive at low sintering temperature. The effects of Bi2O3-CeO2 content and sintering temperature on the densification, phase composition, microstructure, mechanical properties and electrical resistivity of ITO targets were systematically investigated. The results revealed that the Bi2O3-CeO2 addition reduced sintering temperature by 50 ℃, and the ITO target with 1.0 wt% Bi2O3-1.0 wt% CeO2 had the maximum relative density of 99.57%, surpassing additive-free ITO target. The dense microstructure at low sintering temperature was attributed that Bi2O3 could convert solid phase sintering into liquid phase sintering. Notably, the ITO target with 1.0 wt% Bi2O3-1.0 wt% CeO2 also had the minimum resistivity of 1.82 × 10−4 Ω·cm, which was due to more free electrons generated by CeO2 doping and the dense microstructure. In addition, the grain growth kinetics was applied to calculate corresponding diffusion data, namely, the grain growth exponent (n = 7.4), growth rate constant (k = 4.211 × 1023) and growth activation energy (Q = 394.79 kJ/mol). This work provides a strategy to prepare high-quality ITO targets and presents great potential for the low-temperature sintering on other ceramic materials.

Promoted electrochemical performance of one-step sintered intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells using nanoscale electrodes

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) require simple cell fabrication procedure and reduced sintering temperature to improve system economics and durability. In this work, we propose a one-step low temperature (950 °C vs. conventional ≥1300 °C) sintering technology to prepare doped ceria electrolyte-based SOFCs by adding 3 mol% of Li2O sintering aid. Super low temperature sintering grants the direct application of nanoporous Ni-based cermet anode and hierarchical SrNb0.1Fe0.9O3 cathode with improved catalytic activities, which improves SOFC efficiency. The ionic conductivity of the electrolyte and catalytic activities of electrodes are systematically investigated by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique and analyzed by the distribution of relaxation time method. These electrolyte-supported SOFCs exhibit an OCV value of 1.01 V at 500 °C and a peak power density of 291 mW cm−2 at 700 °C as well as sufficient stability for 50 h. Our results demonstrate a reliable and affordable method for manufacturing high-performance SOFCs.

Effects of in situ phase reaction of η M12C and M6C on microstructure and mechanical properties of tungsten heavy alloy via spark plasma sintering

Spark plasma sintering (SPS) which densifies metallic or ceramic powders in few minutes can reduce sintering temperature, increase relative density, and inhibit grain growth in the consolidated materials. The phase reaction during the short SPS process is often ignored. In this work, a very important tungsten heavy alloy (WHA), 90 W − 7Ni − 3Fe (wt%) alloy, is taken as a typical example to demonstrate how in situ formation of η M12C or M6C influences the microstructural evolution and mechanical strength of the alloys SPSed at 1000–1200 °C through experimental characteristics combined with first−principles calculation. The results show that the in situ phase reaction from η M12C to M6C carbides plays a key role in the mechanical properties of WHAs, or oven more important than the relative density and grain size. The phase reaction from η M12C to M6C not only alters the phase composition of WHAs, but also lead to distinct interface relationship among matrix W, binder γ − (Ni, Fe) and η carbide phases. A maximum bending strength of 1268 ± 73 MPa was achieved after the phase reaction at 1200 °C, despite the lower relative density (95.8 ± 0.7%), smaller Young's modulus (209 ± 11 GPa) and bigger grain size (2.6 ± 1.0 μm).

Cold sintering process assisted sintering for 8YSZ ceramic: A way of achieving high density and electrical conductivity at a reduced sintering temperature

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is a well-studied and practically applied electrolyte for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), but the high sintering temperature causes some problems. In this work, 8 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) ceramics were prepared by a cold sintering process (CSP) technique associated with post-heat-treatment (PHT). The CSP was beneficial for getting high initial density for the green bulk, while the PHT could further improve the bulk density of the 8YSZ ceramics at a reduced sintering temperature. Electrochemical impedance spectra showed that the electrical conductivity was 0.060 S/cm at 850 °C for the 8YSZ ceramic prepared by CSP-PHT at 1300 °C, about twice of that prepared by CS. The improved electrical conductivity was attributed to the high density and the reduced activation energy relevant to refined grain size and increased bulk density. Our study demonstrates that the CSP-PHT is a promising technique for preparation of high-dense YSZ ceramics with improved electrical conductivity at a reduced sintering temperature.

Bismuth ferrite-modified lead-free ceramics with reduced sintering temperature and improved energy storage properties

Dielectric ceramics with high polarization and low sintering temperature are important for high-performance and low-cost multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs). Herein, BiFeO3 was added to a lead-free composition 0.48BaTiO3-0.4Bi(Mg0.5Hf0.5)O3-0.12SrTiO3 to lower the sintering temperature and increase the polarization simultaneously. As a result, a low sintering temperature of 950 °C and high comprehensive energy storage properties with a recoverable energy density Wrec of 5.7 J/cm3 and an energy efficiency η of 92% at 450 kV/cm were achieved. Together with the good temperature stability and cycling stability of Wrec and η, the ceramics exhibit great potential in the energy storage MLCCs with low-cost Ag-Pd electrodes with a high Ag content.

Impact of thermobaric conditions on phase content, magnetic and electrical properties of the CoFe2O4 ceramics

The aim of these work was to investigate low temperature fast synthesis of cobalt spinel ferrite polycrystalline ceramics. The idea of combining high temperature and high pressures was in the possibility of a sharp decrease in the synthesis time by the lowering the threshold for activation of chemical interaction due to increasing the rate of diffusion kinetics. Test samples with 2–3 orders of magnitude less duration and reduced sintering temperature by 400º C comparing to conventional sintering were synthesized from initial oxides using solid state reactions method under high-pressure. The thermobaric conditions (combination of high temperatures and high pressures during synthesis) on phase content, structural properties, magnetic and electrical properties of the CoFe2O4 spinels were also investigated. The synthesis was performed at T = 800 °С under high pressures (P = 1–5 GPa) and duration of 1 min. Evolution of the phase composition, microstructure, magnetic and electrical properties of CoFe2O4 ceramics as function of the synthesis pressure was investigated using XRD, SEM, VSM and impedance spectroscopy respectively. Results of XRD demonstrate the formation spinel-like main phase (SG: Fd-3 m) with impurities. It was observed that average grain size decreased from 661 to 355 nm with P increasing from 1 till 5 GPa respectively. It was observed that the P increase induce the non-linear changes in magnetic properties. Thus, Ms decreased from 70,8–60 emu/g while Hc and Mr had a slight increasing trend with increase P from 1 till 5 GPa. CoFe2O4 samples that were produced under higher pressures demonstrated dramatically higher values of permittivity. The proposed method is perspective way for production of the high-density magnetic ceramics with significantly reduced sintering time in comparison with the traditional solid state reactions method. The modification of the proposed method for control phase composition and physical properties is the goal for further investigations.

Enhanced grain connection and ionic conductivity of Na3.3La0.3Zr1.7Si2PO12 ceramic electrolyte by adding Na2B4O7

NASICON-type Na3Zr2Si2PO12 (NZSP) is supposed to be one of the greatest feasible solid electrolytes due to its high electrochemical performance and safety. Herein, Na2B4O7 (NBO) additive is proposed to enhance the grain connection and ionic conductivities, and reduce the sintering temperature. The grain boundary microstructure of Na3.3La0.3Zr1.7Si2PO12 (NLZSP) is adjusted via introducing NBO additive to facilitate the densification sintering at 950 °C. NLZSP with 3 wt% NBO (NZSP(NBO3)) demonstrates an optimized total ionic conductivity (σt) of 1.81 mS cm−1 at 25 °C and low activation energy (Ea) of 0.22 eV. EIS and SEM analysis reveals that NBO additive promotes more intimate contact between NLZSP grains and extensively reduces the grain-boundary resistance (Rgb) from 135 Ω cm2 for NLZSP to 8 Ω cm2 for NLZSP(NBO3). Besides, wide electrochemical stability window of 5 V vs Na+/Na and galvanostatic sodium stripping-plating up to 400 h reconfirms the super stability of NLZSP(NBO3)/Na interface, while small contact angle of 82° will bring better wettability and interface contact of NLZSP(NBO3)/Na. Solid-state sodium metal batteries (SMBs) based reduced graphene oxide wrapped NaTi2(PO4)3 (NTP@rGO) 3D conductive cathode and NLZSP(NBO3) ceramic electrolyte shown excellent rate performance and cycle stability (91.4% of capacity retention after 200 cycles at 1C). Hence, NLZSP(NBO) ceramic electrolyte exhibits a significant advantage in enhancing grain connection, regulating ionic conductivity and reducing sintering temperature, and is anticipated to be used in all solid-state sodium ions batteries (ASSSIBs).

Fast-low temperature microwave sintering of ZrSiO4–ZrO2 composites

Today, many industrial applications require components that work under extreme conditions, especially at very high temperatures (>1200 °C) for a long time. An excellent combination of properties such as low thermal conductivity, low coefficient of thermal expansion and high chemical resistance are required for such applications. Advanced ceramic materials based on zircon-zirconia composites (ZrSiO4–ZrO2) possess these properties, thus making them attractive for, i.e., high-level radioactive waste immobilisation. The main drawback of these materials are the high temperatures and long residence times required to sinter them and obtain high densities, which entails high energy consumption and costs. Therefore, non-conventional microwave sintering is a very powerful and efficient technique capable of reducing sintering temperatures and holding times. The objective of this study is to evaluate the microwave sinterability of zircon-zirconia powders obtained by colloidal methods (80–20 vol% and 20–80 vol% ZrSiO4–ZrO2). A stability study of the phases present was carried out by X-ray diffraction and the mechanical and microstructural properties were evaluated in order to obtain the best materials with outstanding final properties.

Ceramics Properties of Indurated-Shale Quarry Wastes from Abakaliki, Southeastern Nigeria: Application as Raw Materials in Roofing-Tile Production

AbstractThe present study describes research carried out to evaluate the mineralogical, geochemical and technological properties of indurated shale-quarry wastes and assess the suitability of these low-cost and locally available quarry wastes generated from crushed indurated shales for possible use as alternatives to fresh raw materials in the manufacture of roofing-tile products. Firstly, the mineralogical and chemical properties of the indurated shales were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence, while their physical properties were identified by grain-size distribution, Atterberg limits, and clay activity. Samples of indurated shale-quarry wastes (ISQWs) were subjected to heat treatment at elevated firing temperatures to provide the required strength and durability and their ceramics properties (linear shrinkage, weight loss, water absorption, bulk density, and flexural strength) were determined. From the results, the ISQWs were composed predominantly of fine particles with medium plasticity and clay activity with values generally >0.75. The mineralogy revealed a predominance of aluminosilicates (illite-kaolinite-smectite-chlorite) with large quartz contents and variable percentages of carbonate and feldspar. The oxides were dominated by SiO2 and Al2O3, small amounts of ferromagnesian minerals, and considerable amounts of alkalis (K2O and Na2O) which act as fluxes. The CaO concentrations were variable and related to carbonate contents. Characterizations based on compositional ternary (total clay mineral-carbonate-quartz + feldspar) systems, Casagrande clay workability charts, and Winkler and McNally diagrams revealed their suitability for ceramics applications as the majority of ISQW samples fell within the specifications for roofing tiles. The ISQWs fired at a high temperature of 1000°C revealed considerable weight loss, reduction in both linear shrinkage and water absorption with insignificant increase in flexural strength. In order to achieve excellent ceramics properties and further reduce sintering temperature for their suitability as raw materials in the production of roofing tiles, beneficiations of ISQWs are highly recommended.