Materials Science Forum Vols. 498-499

Abstract: Heat radiation source in ceramic furnaces can be either electric or with combustible, such as LPG or natural gas (NLG). Recently, due to electric shortage and costs, natural gas turned up to be a better alternative to provide heat source to furnaces. Paper presents a study on risk analysis of the use of natural gas in burners of ceramic furnaces. Safety concern to identify hazard causes and consequences was performed, people vulnerability was also studied. Prevention and protection analysis was elaborated by PHA (Preliminary Hazard Assessment) technique. After hazard identification, explosion shock wave consequences as well as people and or material vulnerabilities were performed with the TNO method. Natural gas leakage followed by fire jet and CVE – confined vapour cloud explosion calculations and its effects to the people and facility materials were also provided. Finally, safety measures to prevent and or protect equipment and furnace operators were proposed.

Abstract: Fore knowledge of the characteristics of ceramic raw materials is of utmost importance during the development, processing and production stages of any ceramic product. This work describes the characterization of clays commonly used in the ceramics industry. Two different clays were selected: clay A, from Tubarão-SC and clay B, from Porto Alegre-RS. Their chemical composition was obtained by X-ray fluorescence and their mineralogy by X-ray diffraction, coupled with numerical rational analysis. Their thermal behaviour was studied by differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry. Their particle size distribution and plasticity were also determined. Clay A showed circa 47.5 % quartz (by weight), 40.2 % kaolinite and 9.9 % muscovite mica. Clay B showed a high kaolinite content (circa 72 wt.%), accompanied by montmorillonite (circa 10 %) and potash feldspar (circa 10 % microcline). Clay B was found to be much more plastic than clay A, and both are suitable for pottery, tiles and brick making.

Abstract: Turbine blades of airplanes and thermoelectric plants work in adverse conditions, with corrosive environment and high temperature and pressure. One way to improve the life or the working temperature of the blades is by the use of special coatings over metallic material applied by Electron Beam – Physical Vapour Deposition (EB-PVD). The most usual material for this application is zirconia doped with yttria. Addition of niobia, as a co-dopant in the Y2O3-ZrO2 system, can reduce the thermal conductivity and improve mechanical properties of the coating. The purpose of this work is to show the influence of the addition of niobia on microstructure of ceramic coating taking in to consideration X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy observations. First result shows a columnar structure with only tetragonal phase in the ceramic coating in the chemical composition range studied.

Abstract: Preliminary results of the use of electroomosis technique for removal of organic contaminants in ceramic filtration porous structure are presented. The method employed provokes the migration of chemical residue and waste retained or adsorbed on the pore surfaces by applying a controlled tension within an electrochemical system. Porous ceramics have been the most common filtration medium employed within a broad range of applications. Conventional cleaning of a ceramic medium is not entirely effective for organic contaminants since they cannot be excluded by size, but retained through chemical affinity to the oxide surface. Under the influence of an electrical current, adsorbed molecules underwent shear stress due to the diffuse moving layer. In their ionic state the specimens are dragged and thus move towards the opposite charged electrode. Phenol was chosen as a standard contaminant and tests carried out using commercial ceramic filtration candles. Relative contaminant concentration was assessed by optical densities (UV-Vis spectroscopy). The results show that removal is proportional for up to 58% of the contaminant in diluted condition.

Abstract: Preliminary results of the use of electroomosis technique for removal of organic contaminants in ceramic filtration porous structure are presented. The method employed provokes the migration of chemical residue and waste retained or adsorbed on the pore surfaces by applying a controlled tension within an electrochemical system. Porous ceramics have been the most common filtration medium employed within a broad range of applications. Conventional cleaning of a ceramic medium is not entirely effective for organic contaminants since they cannot be excluded by size, but retained through chemical affinity to the oxide surface. Under the influence of an electrical current, adsorbed molecules underwent shear stress due to the diffuse moving layer. In their ionic state the specimens are dragged and thus move towards the opposite charged electrode. Phenol was chosen as a standard contaminant and tests carried out using commercial ceramic filtration candles. Relative contaminant concentration was assessed by optical densities (UV-Vis spectroscopy). The results show that removal is proportional for up to 58% of the contaminant in diluted condition.

Abstract: Nowadays preserving nature, recycling or reusing materials are good policies. Around ten million tires are put out by year in Brazil, and it is not known for how long they will remain in environment till their complete degradation. This research used tires to replace coal in ceramic processing. In this way it helps to protect environment, to reduce the consumption of mineral deposits and to save money. Results show that tire powder can replace coal to obtain ceramic material, using one percent of tire. Experiments were carried out using TA instruments SDT 2960, in air or nitrogen atmospheres, at heating rate of 10°C/min., flow 120ml/min. TG/DTA curves of tire and coal have exothermic events at close temperatures between 450-600°C. At range of temperatures clay have endothermic events.

Abstract: An optimum amount of deflocculant was determined for three-component suspensions, based on a mixture design approach. Three raw materials were used, characterized as clay, feldspar and quartz. Ten compositions were prepared using the mixture design approach. Deflocculation curves were measured for suspensions with 40 wt.% of solids, adding sodium silicate as dispersant. The optimum deflocculant amount (ODA) was determined for each suspension, corresponding to the lowest value of apparent viscosity considering two nearest experimental points. It was observed that ODA increases linearly with the increase of the clay fraction in the mixture. A response surface and polynomial regression could be used to identify the composition range that satisfies usual conditions in wet ceramics processing.

Abstract: The application of high-pressure abrasive water jets (AWJ) has evolved quickly in some fields of engineering. At Polytechnic School, University of São Paulo, one application has particular interest that is the cutting of friable materials, as rock and ceramics. The main aspect in this field is the cut at the beneficiation process of end product in dimension stone plates. How much the cut of plates, by different kind of AWJ methods, was the research of a PhD work of one of the authors. The abrasive water jet equipment, installed in the Laboratory of Rock Mechanics of the Mining and Petroleum Engineering Department, was used. Some fundamentals considerations regarding, the employed single and multiple passes methods of AWJ to cut rocks, are discussed.

Abstract: Geopolymers are inorganic materials with ceramic characteristics that can be synthesized at room temperature from the setting of slurries. Their structure consists of aluminosilicate units that polymerize in alkaline environment. The setting rate and mechanical behavior of geopolymers strongly depends on the SiO2:Al2O3 molar ratio, polymeric precursor and polymerization cation. The present work reports the synthesis and characterization of 3.5:1 (SiO2:Al2O3) structural geopolymers prepared using either metakaolin (GPMK) or kaolin (GPK) as geopolymeric precursor in potassium hydroxide solution. GPMK depicted quick setting whereas GPK set only after 4 hours. The rheological characterization of the slurries revealed that plastic viscosity and yield point of GPK were 0.40 Pa.s and 14.2 Pa, respectively, whereas GPMK set instantly. The compressive strength of both geopolymers were measured after 24 hours and resulted in similar results, i.e., 4.6 MPa for GPMK and 4.4 MPa for GPK. The strength of both geopolymers was compatible to values typical of structural materials.

Abstract: The influence of polymer precursor additions on liquid phase sintering of SiC:Al2O3:Y2O3 has been evaluated. Two polymer precursors were used: polymethylhydrogensiloxane and D4Vi (1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-1,3,5,7-tetraviniylcyclotetrasiloxane). The ceramic phase had the following composition in wt%: 91.6 SiC, 4.2 Al2O3 and 4.2 Y2O3. The composites were prepared using the following ceramic phase to polymer ratios in wt%: 82.7: 17.3; 74.0: 26.0 and 71.5: 28.5. Density measurements were carried out using a helium picnometry and the Archimedes method. The crystalline phases were identified by X-ray diffraction analysis and the microstructures were observed by optical and scanning electron microscopy.