Avaliação das matérias-primas e controle na formulação de massa para fabricação de tijolo numa indústria do Polo Cerâmico de Manacapuru – AM

Abstract

The mass preparation is important for a good performance of brick manufacturing in the red ceramic industry. In this theme, the present study aims to evaluate the raw materials composed of two clays collected in a ceramic industry in Manacapuru. In this study, the raw materials were characterized using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques to identify chemical and mineralogical elements, laser granulometry and Atterberg limits to evaluate the particle size distribution and plasticity index of the raw materials. In the chemical results, high contents of silicon dioxide (SiO₂) and aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) were identified; already in the mineralogy, predominant percentages of kaolinite (Al2Si2O5(OH)4) and quartz (SiO₂) can be observed; while the physical tests showed fine granulometry, as well as one highly plastic clay and the other less plastic. In the laboratory, five different formulations were made, named M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, and 75 specimens were made and fired at three planned temperatures, 700 °C, 800 °C, and 900 °C. In the technological tests of linear shrinkage, water absorption, apparent porosity and tensile strength to bending, the behavior of the pieces is evaluated in relation to the mixture and the temperatures. At the end of the research, it was observed that formulations M4 and M5 presented the best technological performance of the fired pieces at all temperatures planned for this research. This shows that the control in the formulation of the mixture and the temperature served as a basis for proposing adaptations of the laboratory tests that evaluated the linear shrinkage (RL), water absorption (AA), apparent porosity (AP) and tensile strength to bending (TRF), aiming to improve the quality of the final product in the industry.