Effect of the incorporation of biomass wastes on the properties of fired clay bricks

Abstract

In this work, the feasibility of reusing two biomass wastes: sunflower shells and rice husks is analyzed through their incorporation in clay mixtures for the production of porous ceramic materials. For this purpose, the raw materials were first characterized by different techniques. The ceramic pieces were obtained by means of uniaxial pressure at 25 MPa of commercial clay-biomass waste mixtures, the latter added in 10% by volume. After a drying period, they were thermally treated at 1000°C following firing curves similar to those used by the ceramic industry. The products obtained were characterized by various techniques: porosity, permanent volumetric variation, weight loss on ignition, mechanical properties, among others. The ceramic products obtained present homogeneous tonality, well-defined edges and angles, without shelling of the structure. The results of the porosity test show that the waste aggregates increase this property in the ceramic materials studied.