Reusing ceramic waste in fired brick and as cement additive

Abstract

BACKGROUND Although there has been considerable research on the utilization of ceramic and tile waste (CTW) in concrete production, there has been a noticeable lack of studies examining its application in fired brick manufacturing and the use of ceramic glaze powder as an additive in cement. The aim of this study is to assess the potential of reusing CTW as concrete aggregate and as part of fired brick composition. Furthermore, this research investigates the potential application of glaze powder as a novel cement additive, which has not been previously explored. RESULTS The results indicate that bricks made from waste materials had a moisture absorption of 12.2% and flexural strengths ranging from 15.39 to 24.2 MPa. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that quartz and kaolinite were the dominant crystalline phases in bricks made from raw glazed ceramic. The concentration of heavy metals in the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure leachate of the waste materials decreased after the firing process during the manufacturing of bricks due to oxidation, immobilization and encapsulation processes, with levels below standard limits. In concrete, the use of 20% ceramic glaze powder as a partial cement replacement resulted in a 55% increase in compressive strength. Additionally, the leaching of barium decreased by 70% and that of strontium decreased by 17%. CONCLUSION This study highlights the promising utilization of CTW in fired brick production and the effective incorporation of ceramic glaze powder as a cement additive. The findings suggest enhanced mechanical properties and decreased heavy metal leaching, indicating the viability of CTW reuse in sustainable construction practices. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).