USE OF ALUMINA IN THE CERAMIC TILES INDUSTRY

Marcelo Suster

FORN&CER- 2014 7ª. Edição

Itaforte Materiais de Alta Performance Telefone: +55 19 3023-5995/ 3023-9241 |

High alumina balls

Mill liners

Zirconite

Calcined aluminas

Global Presence

Hindalco  produces  Calcined  Alumina  Hydrate  and  with  different  levels  of  sodium  and  par9cle  size  distribu9ons.

OP1

Low  grade  calcined  alumina  

S3

High  grade  calcined  alumina  

S3G

High  grade  calcined  alumina-­‐  ground  (-­‐  325mesh).  

S5

High  grade  calcined  alumina  with  low  soda  

S5G

High  grade  calcined  alumina  with  low  soda  content  and  ground    (325mesh).

H10  

Dry  hydrate.  

H10G  

Ground  or  jet  milled  dry  hydrate.  

HU  

Wet  hydrate

The Kreutz Zirconium Silicates are used in Ceramic Tiles,

Glass, Ceramics and others.

Zirconite  -­‐  Zirconium  Silicate

!

Griding  media  and  mill  9les ITAFORTE China produces high performance ball and is

the exclusive representative of German Kreutz.

Raw Materials

•  Naturals –  plastics –  Non plastics

•  Sinthetics –  Non plastics

Raw Materials Feldspar Kaolin Bauxite Minerals Feldspar and caulinitics Sands

Naturals & Nefeline-Sianite Stones Quartz sands (as impurities)

Fonolite Basalt Granite Agalmatolite Calcined Alumina Al2O3 Hydrate Al(OH)3 Chemical Products Aluminum Nitrate Al(NO3)3

Sintethics Aluminum Sulphate Al2(SO4)3 By products Blast furnace slag

Alumina Sources

Source: Elaborated by Author

Bauxite Mine

Alumina Trihydrate

Calcined Alumina

Primary Aluminum

Smelter White, Pink and Ruby Fused Abrasive Grains

Crude White, Pink Ruby Fused Alumina

Chemical Industry

Detergent Zeolites

Toothpaste

Cosmetics

Farmaceuticals Deodorants Antacids

Flame Retardant

Carpet Backing

Foam & Solid Plastics

Plastic Wire Insulation

Wallboard

Petroleum Refining Catalyst Support, auto Exhaust

Activated Alumina

Claus Process Sulfur Recovery Adsorbent for gases, liquids

Desiccants

Low Soda Alumina Whiteware, fine China Porcelain Insulators Kiln Furniture

Paints, Paper Adhesives, Rubber Fillers & Coatings

Wallpaper, Waxes Ink, Paint, Paper, Rubber

Pigments

High Purity Alumina Substrates: Microchips, Catalysts

Synthetic Rubies, Sapphires Cutting Tools Polishing Compounds

Translucent Alumina Products

Welding Electrode Coating Fillers & Coatings Epoxy, silicone, Polyester

Glass, ceramics Refractories

Catalyst Support Beds Abrasives

Chorides

Fluoride

Sulfate

Aluminate

Zeolites and

Desiccants

FCC (fluid cracking catalysts) Molecular sieves Hydroteating catalysts

Fused minerals Calcined Al Sulfate

Source: Elaborated by Author

Low Medium High Fused

Calcination temp. (°C) 1,000 1,100 1,250 2,200

Surface area (m 2 /g)

45-75 9-11 0.9-1.4 0.7-0.9

Alpha phase content (%) <5 <10 >96 >99

Primary cristal size ( µ m) <0.01 <0.1 3-4 1,000-3,000

Aluminas Caracteristhics

Calcination grade

Source: Elaborated by Author

Productive process Calcined Alumina

•  Bayer Process   Bauxite   Digestion   Extraction   Precipitation   Calcination

Source: Elaborated by Author

Productive process Fused Alumina (corundun)

•  Electrofusion   Calcined alumina

–  High surface area   Melting   Crushing   Sieving   Milling

Higgins Furnace

Source: Elaborated by Author

Aluminas- Morfology

Low Calcination High Calcination Fused

Source: Elaborated by Author

Application of Alumina in Ceramic Tiles

Glaze (Frits)

Engobe

Base

Anti-slipping

Ink

Source: Elaborated by Author

Alumina Type- calcination grade/ electrofusion

Surface Area m2/g

Crystal Size µm

Effect

Low calcination 50-300 0,01-0,1 highly opacifier Medium Calcination 8-15 0,1-1,0 semi-matizante High Calcination 1-3 1-5 semi-bright Fused 1 100-5000 Bright

Aluminas Light Effects

Source: Elaborated by Author

Trends •  Valuation of the ceramic tiles

•  Aesthetics •  Thermal Comfort •  Hygiene

•  Multitude of uses •  facades •  living rooms •  dorms

•  National standard of decor •  liberation of Europe •  international competitiveness

Challenges

Shelf life & Beauty • Abrasive Wear • Chemical attack • Textural • Chipping/cracks • Swelling

Raw materials

Formulation standard engobe (%)

Formulation of partial substitution with engobe alumina (%)

Properties Standart with alumina

Clay Caulinítica (%)

30 27 Opacity grade OK OK

Feldspar Ortoclásio (%)

25 25 Impermeability grade

OK OK

Zirconite # 500 (%)

20 5 dilation °C –1 X 10-7

65 64

White Frits - Zr cs533 (%)

20 25 Reology/ outflow time (s) Cop for-4

12 12

Koalin (%) 5 12 Alumina (%)

- 6,0

Quartz - - Carboxi Metil Celulose (CMC)

0,3 0,3

Tripolifosfato de Sodium (TPF)

0,1 0,1

Reformulation of engobes Aiming Replacement Zirconita Paulo Sérgio Gonçalves, Marcelo Suster e Ronaldo dos Santos Flor Cerâmica Industrial- Volume 5 - Número 1 - Janeiro/Fevereiro - 2000

Source: Elaborated by Author

Frits (glass) Al 3+- Network Stabilizer

Al3+

Source: Elaborated by Author

Effects of adding alumina

BRILHO ALVURA ABRASÃO-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

Valo

res

rela

tivos

BRILHO ALVURA ABRASÃO

Propriedades

FRITA MATE DE ZINCO

ALTA MÉDIA BAIXA CÓRINDOM

Source: Elaborated by Author

Alumina Properties

Fusibility

Bubles

Al2O3 - SiO2 - MgO - ZrO2 - CaO - ZnO - PbO - B2O3 - Na2O - K2O

Alumina

Source: Elaborated by Author

Viscosity

1260 1280 1300 1320 1340 1360 1380 14000

200

400

600

800

1000

1200 Albita Ortoclásio

Visc

osid

ade

(cP)

Temperatura (oC)

B2O3 - Na2O - K2O - PbO - ZnO - MgO - CaO - SiO2 - ZrO2 - Al2O3

Alumina Properties

Source: Elaborated by Author

Surface tension

PbO - B2O3 - K2O - Na2O - BaO -CaO - ZnO - ZrO2 - Al2O3 - MgO

Furo

Alumina Properties

Source: Elaborated by Author

Conclusion

The aluminum oxide is present in virtually all ceramic products, and its presentation as a pure element is particularly important in the ceramic tile industry, either in the manufacture of glazed, engobes, chips, stains, anti-slip coatings as well as in inputs for grinding. Checking all these applications its high mechanical properties superior abrasion resistance and chemical attack.

Thank you!!!

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