Traditional Ceramic Industry Research Articles

Techno-economic analysis in the service of traditional ceramic industry. The first review

The traditional ceramics industry uses large amounts of raw materials and energy while significantly contributing to the CO2 footprint. The improvements, primarily in the first two areas, will contribute to sustainable development and answer the emerging questions of decreasing a gas-release footprint. These are topics of high importance considering European Union goals, and thus, on the contrary, there is yet only scarce available literature on the subject. This paper describes the state and future perspectives of the traditional ceramics industry through the techno-economic lens. Many options are detected that save resources (waste materials), energy consumption (reparation or modification of kilns, usage of dry pressing in ceramic tiles production, etc.), and control of flue gas composition (changing the fuel, etc.). Further intensified research is needed to widen the knowledge and compare the results. In the first place, the composition of flue gas should be determined by the same methods and presented using unified units. The lowest energy consumption and flue gas composition are determined in ceramic tiles production by the dry route. Using a downdraft gasifier of biomass in brick manufacturing increases the internal rate of return if a longer tunnel kiln is applied. The expected payback period is from 4 to 8 years.

Geopolymeric Composites Containing Industrial Waste Reinforced with Arundo donax Fibers

Traditional Portland cement-based composites have a great environmental impact. Alkali-activated binders can offer an alternative, particularly if they can be obtained even partially from waste. Two residuals derived from the finishing steps of the traditional ceramic industry have been used as possible polymerizable sources mixed with metakaolin. Moreover, to contrast the low dimensional stability of alkali-activated materials and their mechanical brittleness, natural fibers derived from the Arundo donax plant have been added to the mortars. The use of renewable natural fibers instead of synthetic ones can contribute a further environmental advantage. The fresh (consistency) and cured (mechanical) properties of composite materials prepared with residuals and metakaolin were analyzed here. For comparison’s sake, a reference set of composite materials not loaded with fibers but with an identical binder/sand and liquid/binder ratio was cast. A room-temperature curing condition was selected that, although inadequate to promote the short-time reactivity of the wastes, has a minimal energy requirement and allows on-site applications. A small-scale decrease in the properties in the compression mode tests was observed in the waste-modified mortars, while the Arundo addition improved their flexural strength and dimensional stability.

The connections between Historic Urban Landscape layers in Jingdezhen, the porcelain capital of China

The Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach offers an innovative integrated approach to urban conservation based on layering analysis. However, adapting the HUL layering model to the East Asian context, particularly China, is problematic. This issue can be addressed by incorporating connection analysis into the HUL approach. The current study emphasises the need to consider the interwoven spatial structure of the urban landscape and treat deeper cultural-natural ties as those embodied in the traditional Chinese concept of Fengshui. Taking Jingdezhen, the historic centre of China’s traditional ceramics industry, as a case study, this study demonstrates local knowledge of natural geography and local intelligence regarding settlement location and design. The results indicate that the natural system is at the core of Jingdezhen’s HUL, and the elements of nature, function and spirit form a holistic and interactive system.

FLASH sintering of porcelain stoneware: Effect of composition modifications

In this work, we have exploited FLASH sintering as an alternative sintering process in the production of porcelain stoneware. FLASH sintering of porcelain stoneware occurred at temperatures ∼ 1020 °C, for 500 V cm-1, 2 mA mm-2 in 30 s. These conditions are significantly less severe than those typically applied in its conventional sintering, 1150–1250 °C for 1 h. Despite the reduction of time and sintering temperature, FLASH sintered samples exhibit heterogeneous microstructure and elemental distribution, with localized glassy phase formed on the positive pole. By decreasing the feldspar content, less localized glassy phase and more uniform microstructures were obtained, being of relevance the highest density and microstructure uniformity attained in the composition without feldspar. These results extend the FLASH sintering applicability and illustrate its importance for the development of alternative sintering technologies in traditional ceramic industry, that in addition may benefit from the reduction of feldspar in the porcelain stoneware production.

Polipropilen Lif Türü, İçeriği ve Uzunluğunun Sert Poliüretan Kompozitlerin Mekanik Performansına Etkisi

The purpose of this work is to improve mechanical properties of rigid polyurethane (RPU) composites used in traditional ceramic casting industry. Therefore, monofilament (mono) and fibermesh (fibril) polypropylene (PP) fibers with various lengths (3, 6, 12 and 18 mm) were incorporated to polymer matrix at different rates (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2% by weight). Effects of fiber type and content on flexural strength, bending strength and compressive strength of composites were investigated. Surface morphology and thermal characteristics of composites were evaluated by SEM and TGA analysis, respectively. Bulk densities of specimens with and without PP fibers vary between 72,15-146 kg/m3. Compared to pure rigid polyurethane foam, bulk density of monofilament PP reinforced composites significantly increased and the highest density value (146,86 kg/m3) was reached in M6/2.0 sample. On the other hand, incorporation of fibrilmesh caused a decrease in bulk density. While the increase in percentage of mono PP increased flexural strength, the presence of fibril PP had a negative effect on strength. Compressive strength of all mono PP reinforced composites is higher than that of pure RPU, except for M6/0.5 sample. Besides, SEM analysis revealed that the presence of PP fibers generally reduced number of closed cells in composite structure. Experimental findings indicate that fiber type, content and length affect mechanical performance of RPU composites. In addition, it is possible to use mono PP fiber reinforced RPU composites as support apparatus in ceramic casting industry.

Preparation and Properties of Environmentally Friendly Resin-Based Artificial Stones Fabricated from Ceramic Waste

The rapid development of the traditional ceramic industry contributes considerably to economic advancements; however, the ecological hazards caused by the large amount of sintered ceramic wastes generated during ceramic production and discarded at landfill sites are becoming increasingly severe. To realize the large-scale resource utilization of ceramic waste, sintered ceramic waste was used in this study to partially replace natural quartz sand, and new environmentally friendly artificial stones were fabricated by using vacuum vibration molding and inorganic/organic composite curing technology. The effects of ceramic waste addition and particle size on the mechanical strength, surface hardness, wear resistance, stain resistance, and microstructure of artificial stone materials were investigated. The results showed that the replacement of quartz sand with 40–55% ceramic waste significantly improved the mechanical strength of artificial stone and maintained sufficient surface hardness and wear resistance. When 45% of ceramic waste powder (particle size ≥ 120 mesh) was added, the bending strength of the artificial stone was 64.4 MPa, whereas when 55% of ceramic waste particles with different particle sizes were added, the maximum compressive strength was 158.7 MPa. Good wear resistance and sufficient Moh’s hardness of 5.5–6.5 was obtained for all the samples. The prepared ceramic waste artificial stone also had a dense microstructure and low water absorption and porosity, which are helpful for improving stain resistance.

Thermoelectric Generator Using Low-Cost Thermoelectric Modules for Low-Temperature Waste Heat Recovery

One of the most significant problems in industrial processes is the loss of energy according to the sort of heat. Thermoelectrics are a promising alternative to recovering this type of thermal energy, as they can convert heat into electricity, improving the industrial efficiency of the process. This article presents the characteristics of low-cost thermoelectric modules typically used for generation (SP1848-27145SA (TEG-GEN)) and refrigeration (TEC1-12706 (TEC-REF)), both utilized in this research for heat recovery. The modules were evaluated against various configurations, source distances, and distributed systems in order to determine optimal recovery conditions. The experiments were conducted both at the laboratory level and in a large-scale furnace of the traditional ceramics industry, and they revealed that even refrigeration modules are suitable for energy recovery, particularly in developing countries, whereas other generators are more expensive and difficult to obtain. These thermoelectric generators were tested for low-temperature heat recovery in regular furnaces, and the results are to be implemented elsewhere. Results show that even the thermoelectric refrigeration modules can be a solution for heat recovery in many heat sources, which would be particularly strategic for developing countries.

Parametric study of the correlation between location and size of superficial cracks in the deflection of traditional tiles based on finite element analysis

Superficial cracks are one of the common defects in the manufacturing of traditional ceramic tiles. Such defects do not only damage the appearance of the product, but also affect their mechanical behavior. Understanding the correlation between superficial cracks and deflection is key for the traditional ceramic tile industry. However, the related bibliography is very rare, and its importance is systematically ignored during design and manufacturing. In this work, we investigate the impact of the location and size of superficial cracks over the deflection of traditional ceramic tiles. A technique based on FEA (finite element analysis) is validated through experimental data and used to undertake a statistical, parametric research. The study shows that location and depth of the defect have an exponential cross-correlation over deflection and could be characterized together through a single surface. On the contrary, the width and sharpening of the defect barely interfere.

Mechanical Feasibility Study of Pressed and Burned Red Ceramic Blocks as Structural and Sealing Masonry.

In the search for better constructive efficiency and a reduction of the waste of construction materials, several researches have been performed in the last years around the world. Red ceramic blocks are artifacts widely used in civil construction around the world, and they result in a great consumption of raw materials and energy. The great innovation of this research was the development of ceramic blocks through an innovative method of pressing and dosing materials, replacing the traditional stage of extrusion in the manufacture of ceramics. In such a sense, a new manufacturing technology for ceramic blocks was proposed through the pressing process, adapting the soil-cement brick press machine, thus attaining more even pieces with greater compliance to the dimensions and preset geometry. In this work, the physical and mechanical features of the pressed and burned blocks (PBB) are produced in a partnership with Arte Cerâmica Sardinha, a traditional ceramic industry in the region of Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil. It was sought to set the quality parameters for the blocks, to set their mechanical compressive strength, deformation modules and the Poisson coefficient. The blocks were tested in use by means of three layers of prism and small wall samples, and it was checked the fragile-type failure of the PBB. Results indicate that the blocks can be employed in small-sized construction works, as the characteristic compressive strength to block measured was 3.62 N/mm2 for average water absorption of 20.84%.

An approach to 3D print liquid ceramic slurries

Many industrial processes employed for making ceramics are wet processes that start with a liquid and highly concentrated ceramic slurry that is shaped and consolidated into a ceramic. As 3D printing methods develop, industries are urged to adopt additive manufacturing (AM) to keep up with Industry 4.0. However, current AM methods demand not only new equipment but also new material feedstocks. For example, liquid-based 3D printing relies on the development of printable inks. To address this issue and facilitate the transition to Industry 4.0 for industries producing ceramic parts using traditional wet processes, we propose herein a 3D printing strategy in which inks are liquid ceramic slurries like those used in traditional ceramic industry. A slurry containing BN and SiO2 nanoparticles suspended in water with a total solid loading of 44 vol% and exhibiting high fluidity was selected for our proof-of-concept experiments. Direct ink writing (DIW) was the 3D printing method used to extrude the slurry through a thin nozzle and deposit it onto a porous substrate. As the substrate removes the water from the deposited ink by capillary forces, the printed material consolidates. As a demonstration of this approach, bulk and porous parts were attempted that showed a print resolution of about 0.5 mm and a continuous, defect-free microstructure. These results are promising and could be further explored to print overhanging and larger structures using liquid ceramic slurries of various compositions.

Research on the Aesthetics of Ceramic Design Integrating Digital Technology

The rapid development of digital technology has brought intensive development opportunities to the traditional ceramic industry. Digital ceramic technology is now widely used in the ceramic industry, and its fast and accurate advantages are favored by more and more ceramicists. Digital technology enriches the creative techniques of ceramic art, and at the same time brings infinite possibilities to the performance of ceramic art. This paper studies the perfect combination of artistry and practicality in the decoration of ceramic design, and promotes the exploration of the design aesthetics of ceramic products.

Characterisation and ceramic application of clays from North Africa

ABSTRACT The mineralogical, chemical, physical and thermal analyses of the representative clays from North Africa (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia) have been studied for their potential use in traditional ceramic industry. The clay fractions of the Moroccan and Algerian clays are essentially composed of illite (38 and 21%, respectively) and kaolinite (17 and 12%, respectively) as predominant minerals, with subordinate I/Sm mixed-layer (10 and 3%, respectively). The non-clay minerals are quartz, calcite, dolomite and occasionally plagioclase and haematite. Tunisian clays are composed of similar proportions of kaolinite (15%), smectite (15%), illite (12%) and palygorskite (9%), whereas their associated minerals are quartz (30%), calcite (15%) and rarely plagioclase (4%). The chemical data show agreement with estimated mineralogical compositions. All the samples contain large amounts of iron (>5.6%) and earth-alkaline oxides (>6.9%), and high values of LOI (>12%). Algerian clays show high plasticity (PI = 40%), requiring particular attention and careful temperature control during drying to avoid the deformation and the formation of cracks in the ceramic bodies, whereas the Tunisian and Moroccan clays (PI = 18% and 16%, respectively) show acceptable behaviour in shaping and drying. The average grain-size distribution demonstrates a substantial amount of the silt and clay fractions in raw materials which are therefore suitable for easy shaping of paste without any special need for further adjustments. Indeed, the amount of fraction upper 63 µm is lower less than 2%. The main transformations during firing are influenced by the abundance of components such as Fe2O3, CaO, MgO, K2O and Na2O and observed above 1000°C with the appearance of new crystalline phases, especially mullite, spinel, plagioclase, diopside and haematite. The technical parameters of fired pieces (firing shrinkage, water absorption and flexural strength) fall within the ceramic international standards (ISO).

Incorporation of sludge from effluent treatment plant of an industrial laundry into heavy clay ceramics

The textile sector, in particular the laundries, is one of the industrial sectors that generates large quantity of wastes that require an appropriate treatment before their disposal in the environment. In addition to productive costs increasing, the deposition of wastes in appropriate sanitary landfills is the least noble alternative as regards the inverted pyramid for solid waste management hierarchy. In this context, the traditional ceramics industries which produce primarily bricks and roofing tiles represents one of the best alternatives to use a huge variety of industrial solid wastes. The main objective of this work is to assess the technical, environmental and the economic feasibility to use the dried textile sludge as raw material for the traditional ceramic industry. The results demonstrated that the presence of organic matter in the waste resulted in a high loss on ignition, which increased the ceramic porosity, generating an increase in water absorption and firing linear shrinkage and a mechanical strength reduction. However, although this waste has impaired the properties, the values of all of them were within the limits required by Brazilian standards for bricks. In addition, heat release occurred during the volatilization of the organic compounds in the dried textile sludge, which may contribute to energy saving during the ceramic firing stage. In relation to the environmental analysis, it can be concluded that this waste can be used as by-product for traditional ceramics industries without causing significant damage to the environment.

Recording of temperatures and heat accumulation in masonry in a continuous kiln used to produce ceramic materials

In Ocaña, Colombia, a traditional ceramic industry has been developed using low efficiency kilns without controls in the combustion processes, which generate large heat losses. As a result, it was necessary to implement a virtual instrument to monitor temperatures in the firing process. For the study, a continuous Hoffman kiln, and the temperature acquisition was carried out in two combustion chambers and lasted twenty-four hours. In the kiln firing process, the energy supplied due to coal combustion was 22198×106 KJ, while the heat accumulated in the kiln roof, walls and floor was 14452.6×106 KJ, 1085.71×106 KJ and 164.72×106 KJ respectively. The total heat stored in the masonry was 15703.03×106 KJ, representing 70.73 % of the energy supplied. Due to the material used in the construction of the kiln, the accumulated heat is high, and it is necessary to implement coatings using ceramic fibers on the kiln walls, keeping the temperature constant in the firing process and leading to a decrease in heat accumulation of about 20 %. Also, air, fuel, temperature, and pressure injection systems should be implemented.

Research on The Application of Ceramic 3D Printing Technology

Ceramic 3D printing technology is using computer aid design techniques to model and produce ceramic products. The basic principle is through X, Y, Z axis of the ceramic 3D printer displacement layer to create the computer-designed 3D ceramic shape, and combined with traditional pottery hand-made techniques to finally complete it. Analysis and utilize the advantages of ceramic 3D printing technology, in order to inject new vitality into the traditional ceramic production industry.

KAWASAN TUNGKU NAGA DI SAKKOK, SINGKAWANG DRAGON KILN HERITAGE SITE

Sakkok area in Singkawang is notorious for its traditional Chinese ceramics industry. These ceramics are produced through a wood-firing process in a closed kiln called Dragon Kiln. Dragon Kiln is the product between culture and technology, which was brought by the Southern Chinese immigrants. The only remaining Dragon Kilns, that are still being used and fired now, are in Singapore and Sakkok, Singkawang. Singkawang city is enlisted as Indonesia’s heritage city, therefore, the city is suggested to empower its heritages. This is supported by the people of Singkawang city, in which some of them are the crafters in the Dragon Kiln area. The highlighted architectural problem in this study is “How the architectural design of Dragon Kiln will maximize its Cultural Heritage potential in order to preserve the Dragon Kiln and Traditional Chinese Ceramics Industry?” The applied method for this study is Revitalization Thinking. Revitalization Thinking is a problem solving method based on revitalizing, done in stages, to maximize the design planning. The concept that is implied is an educative, recreational, and sustainable Cultural Heritage Tourism in order to maximize the Cultural Heritage potential of Dragon Kiln through the development of tourism in preserving the Dragon Kiln and Traditional Chinese Ceramics Industry in Singkawang, Indonesia and South-east Asia.

KAWASAN TUNGKU NAGA DI SAKKOK, SINGKAWANG DRAGON KILN HERITAGE SITE

Sakkok area in Singkawang is notorious for its traditional Chinese ceramics industry. These ceramics are produced through a wood-firing process in a closed kiln called Dragon Kiln. Dragon Kiln is the product between culture and technology, which was brought by the Southern Chinese immigrants. The only remaining Dragon Kilns, that are still being used and fired now, are in Singapore and Sakkok, Singkawang. Singkawang city is enlisted as Indonesia’s heritage city, therefore, the city is suggested to empower its heritages. This is supported by the people of Singkawang city, in which some of them are the crafters in the Dragon Kiln area. The highlighted architectural problem in this study is “How the architectural design of Dragon Kiln will maximize its Cultural Heritage potential in order to preserve the Dragon Kiln and Traditional Chinese Ceramics Industry?” The applied method for this study is Revitalization Thinking. Revitalization Thinking is a problem solving method based on revitalizing, done in stages, to maximize the design planning. The concept that is implied is an educative, recreational, and sustainable Cultural Heritage Tourism in order to maximize the Cultural Heritage potential of Dragon Kiln through the development of tourism in preserving the Dragon Kiln and Traditional Chinese Ceramics Industry in Singkawang, Indonesia and South-east Asia.

3D printing of clay for decorative architectural applications: Effect of solids volume fraction on rheology and printability

The effect of varying the solids volume fraction of an aqueous clay paste suspension on its printability via an Additive Manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing technique, Direct Ink Writing (DIW) or material extrusion, has been studied. DIW is a cost-effective and straightforward fabrication technology suitable for adoption at a larger scale by the traditional ceramics industry and the creative community. The pastes were prepared with volume fraction of solids ranging from 25–57 vol%. Their rheological properties (storage modulus and apparent yield stress) were measured by dynamic oscillatory rheometry. The relationships between solids content, rheological behaviour and print parameters were evaluated. An equation based on rheological properties to delineate between printable and non-printable conditions has been proposed. Several decorative pieces have been produced for architectural purposes.

3D printing via the direct ink writing technique of ceramic pastes from typical formulations used in traditional ceramics industry

This research presents an additive manufacturing study of a ceramic paste typically used in the ceramic industry. The 3D printing technique used was the direct ink writing (DIW) method, which is an extrusion based process. Several formulations were built with different volumetric fractions of solids with respect to water, all between 50% and 56%. Two types of additives (sodium silicate and sodium polyacrylate) were used with concentrations between 0.2 and 0.8 wt%. The printable pieces were those that were able to maintain the shape, have been sintered after the printing process and subjected to different tests. Dimension stability tests were conducted in order to determine the contraction after the air drying and fired process. Scanning electron microscopy, density, compression strength, x-ray diffraction, and rheology experiments were conducted over these successful formulations. Weibull analysis in the compression tests were made over the sintered samples as well.

Effect of the concentration of water acrylic resin in the mechanical, tribological and thermal properties of a composite material based on wastes of the ceramic industry for the elaboration of an eco-brick

The effect of the concentration of anion–activated resin of acrylic ester copolymer on the mechanical, tribological and thermal behavior of a composite material based on waste powders from the traditional ceramic industry (chamotte) is reported. The samples were formed by uniaxial pressing at 100 kg / cm2. The powders of chamotte were sieved through ASTM No. 200 sieve (<75 microns), which were agglutinated using different concentrations of resin. The results of the tribological behavior indicate that the average volume of the footprint (AVF) due to the deep abrasion decreased as the concentration of resin in the samples increased, likewise the modulus of rupture (MR) and the thermal conductivity increased as it increased the concentration of resin. Our results will contribute to the design and development of ecological masonry units.