Abstract
The impact of surfactants on the semi-solid extrusion of clay masses is directly related to the performance associated with the mass flow and energy consumption. In this work, a formulation based on a ceramic mass used in the manufacture of structural blocks was formulated with the addition of surfactant obtained from a renewable source (tannin). The objective was to evaluate the impacts of tannin addition on the workability of the mass, reduction of energy consumption, the hardness of the extrudate, and properties of the dry and sintered bodies (e.g. flexural strength, linear retraction and water absorption). For the ceramic mass formulation with 1.0 wt% tannin, the results indicated a decrease of ~37% in wet mass hardness, increase in mechanical strength after drying (~29%) and firing (~15%), and ~75% reduction in specific energy consumption. The overall positive effects of surface modifier addition to the ceramic mass suggest that tannin can be used, safeguarding the economic criteria, without compromising the performance of the red ceramic blocks.
Keywords:
surfactant; extrusion; clay; tannin
