Innovative Ceramic Vitreous Formulations using Nickel Laterite Mine Waste NiLaMW and Indigenous Flux sources

Vitreous ceramics are highly impervious, exhibiting less than 1% water absorption, and are commonly derived from triaxial mixtures of clays, fluxes, and fillers. In this study, nickel laterite mine waste (NiLaMW), a by-product of extraction of nickel ore and the idle silicate deposits in Lanao del Norte, specifically black cinder (a pyroclastic material) and diatomaceous earth, were utilized as alternative raw materials. The NiLaMW was used as a full replacement to clay, while black cinder and diatomaceous earth were utilized as substitutes for feldspar in a typical ternary diagram for ceramic formulation. The thermal properties, morphologies, and mineralogical compositions of these materials were characterized to assess their suitability for vitreous ceramics production. At least three ceramic formulations primarily based on NiLaMW were developed, and their products were formed through the slip casting method. Green wares were sintered at 1200°C. The physico-mechanical properties (linear shrinkage, water absorption, apparent porosity, bulk density, and modulus of rupture “MOR”) of these NiLaMW-based formulations were compared against established standards such as ISO Standard 13006, PNS154-2005, and ICCTAS ESTD 1990.

All the materials except NiLaMW exhibited melting behavior at temperatures below 1200°C, which means that they can be used as a source of fluxes. The results demonstrated that all formulations were highly vitreous, with a very low average water absorption of less than 0.03% and a MOR ranging from 42.71MPa to 46.25MPa, thus presenting their potential for vitreous ceramic applications.