Case Studies in Construction Materials (Jul 2024)
Exploring the feasibility of utilizing high plastic clays as an alternative material to bentonite clay in the production of ceramic tile: Advancing towards efficient life cycle cost
Abstract
The environmental challenges and high cost of raw materials (i.e., bentonite clays) for the production of ceramic tiles raise concerns for the ceramic industry to look for alternative materials. Therefore, the current research aimed at exploring the possibility of using high plastic clays as a replacement for Bentonite clay in the manufacturing of ceramic tiles. Two different types of high plastic clay in different proportions (i.e. 0–5 %) were used in the preparation of ceramic tiles. A comprehensive material characterization, shrinkage, visual index, flexural strength, water absorption, and microstructural investigation was carried out. The results revealed that the incorporation of plastic clays RC1 from 1 % to 5 % showed a decrease in the flexural strength of ceramic tiles as compared to that of ceramic tiles with bentonite clay. The water absorption of ceramic tiles using RC1 increased with the incorporation of high plastic clays for high plastic clays. However, specimens with all replacements of bentonite clay with high plastic clays showed flexural strength greater than the minimum specified limit of ISO 10545-4. Moreover, it was observed that the replacement of bentonite clay with high plastic clays exhibited higher shrinkage. Further, the visual index of all the specimens did not show any sign of the presence of black core in the ceramic tiles incorporating high plastic clays. The life cycle assessment (LCA) was carried out for the possible utilization of high plastic clays in place of bentonite clay to produce ceramic tiles. The results showed that less than 5 % high plastic clay can effectively be used for manufacturing ceramic tiles leading to economical and sustainable construction products. Hence, it can be concluded that the high plastic clays can be utilized as an alternative to bentonite clay material for manufacturing sustainable ceramic tile leading to sustainable finishes in construction.
