Ceramics-Silikáty 54 (4) 295-302 (2010)

ASSESSMENT OF THE CERAMIC SUITABILITY OF A RAW CLAY

A. Khalfaoui , M. Hajjaji

Ceramic suitability of an illitic-chloritic raw clay is assessed by means of empirical diagrams, involving grain size distribution, mineralogy, chemical composition and Atterberg limits, and by adopting a new approach basing on the methodology of the experimental design. For the later purpose, the simultaneous effects of the firing cycle parameters (temperature, soaking time and heating rate) on some ceramic properties were evaluated and taken into consideration. The use of the empirical diagrams showed that the studied clay was particularly suitable for pottery and amendments were required for manufacturing structural bodies or red stoneware tiles. By using the statistical method, it was found that the raw material was rather suitable for preparing different kinds of ceramic products, which their appropriate firing parameters could be predictable. These results were discussed in the sight of the microstructural investigations.

Keywords: Ceramic suitability, Clay products, Response surface methodology, Firing cycle parameters, Ceramic properties