Papers by Author: Erika Furlani

Abstract: The present paper reports on the results of some experiments on the progress of a previous research and describes the production, in single fast firing, of tiles containing 30 wt% of a natural red clay and a mixture of 42 wt% of paper mill sludge and 28 wt% of glass cullet which were coated with a commercial “matt white” glaze. Fired materials were characterized as a function of the top temperature (1090 or 1140 °C) reached during the fast sintering process made in an industrial roller kiln. It is observed that tiles fired at 1090 °C display the best overall performances since the matt glaze well covers the substrate concurring to maintain in line with the official standard for production the mechanical and physical properties of the tiles.

Abstract: The sintering behaviour of several ceramics prepared using a previously selected mixture of incinerated paper mill sludge and glass cullet which was blended with 10, 20, 30 and 40 wt% of some natural clayey materials has been studied. Three natural commercial product were used: a red clay, a yellow clay and a kaolin. Mixtures were blended by wet attrition milling, dried, sieved, pressed into specimens and then fired for 1 h at temperatures ranging from 1040 to 1140 °C. The resulting materials were characterized by water absorption, shrinkage and crystallographic composition. It was observed that materials containing kaolin display the best overall behaviour independently of the quantity of kaolin introduced. Conversely the optimal sintering temperature, and consequently the best properties of materials prepared using red or yellow clay was found above 1080 °C and depends of their specific composition being affected by the amount of clay added.

Abstract: The present research compares properties and behaviour of co-precipitated 3Y-PSZ powders submitted, after co-precipitation, to different milling treatments. The characteristics of the different products were evaluated by measurement of particle size distribution, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, specific surface area and scanning electron microscopy analysis. It has been demonstrated that 1h of attrition milling enables the production of powders with micrometric particles: the dispersing liquid used on milling has little influence. Crystallization of the amorphous powder is achieved after 1h of high energetic milling, without any thermal treatment.