Preparation Foam Brick from Iraqi Local Clay

Abstract

Abstract In this study, foam bricks prepared by direct foaming method, using local kaolin clay as raw materials, which are available, local, cheap, environmentally - friendly materials and can be recycled. Foam bricks prepared by depend mechanism evolution of gas in situ using several of variables (ratio of clay mixture, ratio of foam solution, ratio of forming mixture and firing temperature) so that one of these variables is fixed randomly after preliminary test and another change in a gradual regular. Then select the optimum value to return randomly and thus after that select optimum values of these parameters for the production of foam bricks. The porosity, thermal conductivity, and compression strength were examined at (9050, 1050)°C. Porosity, thermal conductivity and compression strength have been investigated at (9050,1050)°C, SEM and XRD also carried out at specimen firing at 950°C. The results showed that the optimum foam bricks was obtained with the ratio of clay mixture mullite:kaolin (60:40), agent solution ratio agent:water (1.5:20 )and(2.5:20), respectively and forming mixture ratio clay mixture:agent solution (51.14:48.86) at firing temperature 950°C. The specimens prepared in this way have apparent porosity (as high as 0.46%), exhibiting considerable compressive strength (exceeding 5MPa) and low thermal conductivity (about 0.36 (W/m k).