Study of the Effect of Firing Temperature and Particle Size on the Mechanical Performance of a Clay Composite Filled with Expanded Perlite
摘要
This study aimed to prepare clay composites reinforced with expanded perlite and assess their mechanical properties for flexural and compression strength resistance after the firing step during ceramic manufacturing. The effect of different parameters, namely the firing temperature, materials particle size distribution, and EP content, on the fired product’s mechanical properties, was investigated to highlight their significant impact on producing high-quality ceramic materials. An experimental study found that Clay-based composites reinforced with 5% expanded perlite with 160 µm particle size distribution exhibited the best combination of flexural and compression strength resistance and were most suitable for improving ceramic clay materials quality in construction activities.