PROCESS AND PROPERTIES OF CERAMIC TILE PREPARED FROM BLAST-FURNACE SLAG RAW-MATERIALS

Blast furnace slag containing CaO, SiO2, Al2O3 and MgO as main constit uents was investigated as a possible raw material for tile manufacturi ng. Samples were made from 50 to 80 wt% slag and modified by varying a mounts of SiO2, Al2O3, Li2O and TiO2. The properties of the tile thus prepared were investigated using differential thermal analysis (DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Sample s heating at 860-degrees-C and 880-degrees-C for 2 h, respectively. Th e major crystalline phase in the tile was gehlenite (2CaO.Al2O3.SiO2), the bending strength was from 254 to 510 kgf/cm2, apparent porosity f rom 25.10 to 2.03% and the Vickers hardness was from 220 to 366 kgf/cm 2.