Non traditional raw material in ceramic industry

The wastes incorporation to the production cycle is an interesting alternative in modem industry. This gives rise to not only an economical profit but to a considerable decrease in environmental impact. Studies made about recycling of several wastes: glass, electric insulators and fly ash are compared in this work. The materials were crushed and separated by particle size distribution in order to prepare representative samples. Different treatment steps were carried out as is usual in the process of ceramic industries. Some of the obtained powders were used without additives while other were mixed in different ratios with other ceramic components in order to improve their final properties. All the compacts, obtained by uniaxial pressing of the powders, received thermal treatments which were adequate to their compositions. They were then characterised by several techniques including dilatometry, X ray diffraction, porosity, microhardness, optical and scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersion analysis (SEM/EDX). From this investigation it was concluded that the studied materials constitute a potential source of raw materials for the ceramic industry.