Clay Mixtures and the Mechanical Properties of Microporous and Nanoporous Ceramic Water Filters
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 28, Issue 10
Abstract
This paper presents the results of an experimental study of the effects of clay mixtures on the mechanical properties of mixed clays with controlled levels of plasticity, prior to the firing of porous ceramic water filters for water filtration. Two clays with well-characterized initial compositions (Iro and Ewuya clays) are mixed with varying proportions to control their plasticity. The mechanical properties of the mixed and fired clays are then studied using a combination of experiments and theoretical models. These include the flexural strength, fracture toughness, Young’s modulus, and thermal shock resistance of fired clay mixtures. The results show that clay mixtures with 45–60 vol.% of Iro clay and 40–55 vol.% Ewuya clay can be used to produce clay composite filters with robust mechanical properties. The thermal shock resistance of a mixed clay filter (containing 50% Iro clay and 50% Ewuya clay) is also explained using a combination of elastic and viscoelastic crack-bridging models. The regimes for effective viscoelastic crack bridging are identified by comparing the relaxation times to the thermal shock durations. The implications of the results are then discussed for the mixing of locally available clays into robust micro- and nanoporous materials for applications in clay ceramic water filters.
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Acknowledgments
This research was supported by a Carnegie Corporation project at the University of Ghana, Ghana; the World Bank STEP B Program; the African Centers of Excellence Programs; and Princeton University. The mechanical properties determination work was undertaken at the School of Engineering, Tufts University, United States of America. The authors would like also to acknowledge the technical staff of Mateng Nigeria Ltd., Abeokuta, Nigeria, for assistance with the production of the ceramic water filters.
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Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 28 • Issue 10 • October 2016
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© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 14, 2015
Accepted: Jan 15, 2016
Published online: May 10, 2016
Published in print: Oct 1, 2016
Discussion open until: Oct 10, 2016
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