EXPLORATION OF THE POTENTIALS OF GRANITE SAWING WASTE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CERAMIC BODIES
EXPLORATION OF THE POTENTIALS OF GRANITE SAWING WASTE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CERAMIC BODIES
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Date
2014-09
Authors
ALKALI, CEPHAS VERSHIMA
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Abstract
The granite industry generates a large amount wastes in various grain sizes which lie in
heaps in several quarry sites. This material during rainy season constitutes an unhealthy
mud causing serious environmental pollution. Despite the potential economic and
technological advantages these wastes offer, little is done to utilize them for other
industrial applications apart from its use in the building industry. The use of granite
waste as alternative material in the production of ceramics has been a viable option by
many researchers in other parts of the world. Granite waste has been re-absorbed as
secondary raw material in the production of bricks, wall tiles, floor tiles and roofing
sheets. This is in response to the global mobilization programme that reveals the
strategic importance of waste materials as important source of raw materials for the
production of tangible domestic and industrial products. The aim of this study is to
adopt granite sawing waste and incorporate it into natural clay to produce a ceramic
body that could be used in producing various decorative objects. This granite waste
would serve as a tempering material in the formulation of a clay body that fuse at lower
temperatures and produce other effects that may create a differential feature and save
cost. This process involved the collection of granite sawing waste from three quarry
sites across Kaduna state and combining it by studio experiment with primary and
secondary clay for the formulation of different body compositions. This effort was
successfully carried out and test bars and sample wares were produced and fired
between 9000c-12000c. These were subjected to various tests to establish their chemical
content, physical and mechanical properties required for a workable body. Result
showed that granite combined effectively with ball clay and kaolin to produce four
bodies that met the requirement for the production of ceramic wares through the casting
method. The bodies obtained shrinkage values of 5-7% and water absorption rate of
between 3-22%. They sintered and fused at 12000c and were able to absorb glaze and
glaze fusion without any visible defect. This showed that granite can compliment clay
in the formulation of bodies for various purposes
Description
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF
POSTGRADUATE STUDIES
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA, NIGERIA
IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT FOR THE AWARD OF DOCTOR OF
PHILOSOPHY IN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN (CERAMICS SECTION)
DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
OCTOBER, 2014.
Keywords
EXPLORATION,, POTENTIALS,, SAWING WASTE,, DEVELOPMENT,, CERAMIC BODIES