Mechanical Evaluation and Minerals Phases Identification of Fine and Coarse Okelele Block Clay Composites for Furnace Lining Application

Abstract

The suitability of fine and coarse Okelele clays as refractory raw materials for furnace lining application was investigated. The clay samples were crushed and pounded with a mortar and pestle to a particle size of 20 microns. 230 g each of fine clay was mixed with 50 mls of water inside a bowl and stirred thoroughly to form homogenous plastic paste. 10 g, 15 g, 25 g, 35 g and 45 g of coarse clay were added respectively to the 230 g of homogenous fine clay paste in different container. The fine and coarse clays composites weighing 240 g, 245 g, 255 g, 265 g and 275 g were respectively put in a mold of dimension 3 x 5 x 6 cm and air dried for 7 days. The samples were fired at temperature of 1200 oC for five hours using Carbolite Furnace. After cooling, the fine and coarse clay composites of 240 g and 245g were broken by the heat and composites blocks 255 g, 265g and 275g were hardened and remove for compressive test analysis. The fine and coarse clays were characterized using X-ray Diffractometer PW1830forminerals phases’ identification. The result of XRD shows that the clay was majorly composed of Quartz and Kaolinite with the traces of other minerals such as Smectile, Illite/Mica, Albite, Jarosite, Gypsum and Pyrite. The Kaolinite contains aluminum silicate (Al2O3·2SiO2) and Quartz has the silicon and oxygen atoms. The compressive strength test result judged the 275 g fire block of clays composite the best with the maximum force breaks of 7652 N with deflection of 3.734 mm and Young Modulus of 212 N/mm2 for the time to failure of 22 seconds. The results proved that Okelele clays are suitable as refractory material for furnace lining application.

Production and optimization of the refractory properties of blended Nigerian clay for high-temperature application; a non-stochastic optimization approach

“…But the clays obtained from Ara will be applicable for the same purpose only upon blending. Saheed et al (2022) studied the suitability of Okelele clays for high-temperature applications. The RF and mechanical properties, like the compressive strength of the clay material, were studied, and the study showed that the compressive strength of these clay materials obtained from deposits in Nigeria was up to 7.7 kN.…”

Characterizations of some discarded shells particles polymer-based composites for ceilings and particles board applications

“…Other research [8][9][10][11] show that discarded shells may be used to make Portland cement, coarse aggregates, and concrete, among other building materials. For particular uses, other researchers have also experimented with various materials as composites [12][13][14]. Particleboard was originally created from wood, rice husks, sycamore leaves, citrus branches, beech twigs, and ordinary agricultural waste, according to the work mentioned [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24].…”

Radiation Shielding Properties of Synthetic Ca-Al2O3 Polymer Based Composites

“…In the described work , radiation shielding materials were traditionally made from glass, rubber, polymer, elastomeric polymer, or vinyl binders with an elastic matrix packed with microscopic lead particles or lead oxide. Other applications for polymer composite materials have been reported [33][34]. Adsorption of catalysts in polyethylene manufacturing, hydrogen peroxide synthesis, as a selective adsorbent for numerous compounds including arsenic and fluoride, and sulfur removal from gas streams were only some of the applications for Al2O3 nanoparticles.…”