Estudo de massas cerâmicas para fabricação de louças sanitárias utilizando diferentes tipos de argilas.

Abstract

One of the main raw materials used in the sanitary ware industry is clay “ball clay. However, Brazil is scarce in deposits of this clay. Like this, This work aims to investigate the replacement of a reference clay by regional clays, of greater abundance, in the formulation of earthenware masses Sanitary. To achieve this objective, the methodology of this Thesis work was divided into two parts. The first part aimed to characterize clays alternative plastics and the analysis of their potential for total replacement of a reference “ball clay” in a commercial ceramic formulation for tableware sanitary conditions and the evaluation of the rheological and technological behavior of these masses developed ceramics; and the second part sought to analyze the partial replacement (3, 5 and 7%) of a reference “ball clay” in a ceramic formulation commercial use of sanitary ware using smectite clays. The composition was determined chemical and mineralogical, particle size distribution, plasticity and resistance the green of the analyzed clays; the formulations were then produced and specimens formed by gluing. These bodies were burned in 1150, 1200 and 1250°C and their physical and microstructural characteristics analyzed. The clays alternative plastics were predominantly composed of kaolinite and quartz, with some containing smectite clay mineral. Some clays presented mineralogical composition and granulometric distribution similar to “ball clay” from reference. Using alternative plastic clays, it was possible to obtain bodies ceramics with water absorption and mechanical resistance similar to those obtained using a reference clay in the formulation using lower temperatures burning. The use of smectite clays in partial replacement of clay reference caused an increase in the viscosity of the dispersions, but within the range used commercially by the sanitary ceramics industry and showed that it is It is possible to partially replace the reference clay with small amounts of clay smectites, obtaining bodies with resistance and absorption similar to those of the mass of reference.