Heat-efficient ceramic products based on modified rice straw

Abstract

The current state of the building ceramics production is based on the following facts. Firstly, as a result of market conditions, the number of operating ceramics factories has significantly decreased. Secondly, considering the increase in the house construction rate due to the shift to new financing mechanisms, there has been an increase in the ceramic brick production by 2-3% since 2019. Growth opportunities are associated with higher thermal efficiency of ceramic products and masonry based thereon. The research objective in this article was the development of compositions for wall heat-efficient ceramics based on loess low-grade loams with the use of rice straw as a burnout additive and, in particular, the determination of the optimal processed rice straw consumption. The scientific novelty of the research consisted in the development of a method for selecting the ceramic mixtures composition, optimizing the composition and substantiating the rice straw and rice straw ash influence on the ceramic mixtures and products properties. Rice straw is introduced into clay masses at the preparation stage in an amount of 5-15% (by mass) of fluff rice straw, which burns out with burning temperature of 200-300°C and makes the mass porous, preventing shrinkage and forming ash containing up to 20% of amorphous silica. Carbonates in clay dissociate during firing, interacting with amorphous silica and forming various calcium silicates that strengthen the shard structure.