Valorization of rice straw waste: production of porcelain tiles

• Main Authors: Álvaro Guzmán A, Silvio Delvasto A, Maria Francisca Quereda V, Enrique Sánchez V
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Associação Brasileira de Cerâmica 2015-12-01
• Series: Cerâmica
• Subjects: azulejos de porcelana; arroz cinza palha; areia feldspato; feldspática
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0366-69132015000400442&lng=en&tlng=en

Abstract The rice industry generates huge amounts of rice straw ashes (RSA). This paper presents the results of an experimental research work about the incorporation of RSA waste as a new alternative raw material for production of porcelain tiles. The RSA replaces, partially or completely, the non-plastic raw materials (quartz (feldspathic sand in this research) and feldspar), that together with the clays, constitute the major constituents of formulations of porcelain tiles. A standard industrial composition (0% RSA) and two more compositions in which feldspar and feldspathic sand were replaced with two percentages of RSA (12.5% RSA and 60% RSA) were formulated, keeping the clay content constant. The mixtures were processed, reproducing industrial porcelain tile manufacturing conditions by the dry route and fired at peak temperatures varying from 1140-1260 ºC. The results showed that additions of 12.5% RSA in replacement of feldspar and feldspathic sand allowed producing porcelain tiles that did not display marked changes in processing behaviour, in addition to obtain a microstructure and the typical mineralogical phases of porcelain tile. Thus, an alternative use of an agricultural waste material is proposed, which can be translated into economic and environmental benefits.