Mineralogical and physico-chemical characterization of alluvial clays from Bamendou-Balessing (West Cameroon): Suitability for ceramics

• Published in: Construction & building materials Vol. 407; p. 133396
• Main Authors: Kieufack, G., Fagel, N., Tchamba, A.B., Bomeni, I.Y., Ngapgue, F., El Ouahabi, M., Wouatong, A.S.L.
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-12-2023; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Bricks; Building and Construction; Civil and Structural Engineering; Earth sciences & physical geography; Firing properties; General Materials Science; Iron oxide; Kaolinite; Physical, chemical, mathematical & earth Sciences; Physique, chimie, mathématiques & sciences de la terre; Raw clay; Sciences de la terre & géographie physique; Silico-alumina character; Silico-alumina character; Kaolinite; Iron oxide; Bricks; Firing properties; Raw clay
• ISSN: 0950-0618; 1879-0526; 1879-0526
• DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.133396

•Clays are rich in kaolinite with a silico-aluminous character suitable for ceramics.•Clays have the best physico-mechanical properties at sintering from 850 °C to 1100 °C.•High amount of Fe2O3 associated with low amount of alkali negatively influences the ceramic properties.•Mullite and cristoballite formed at 1100 °C favors the densification of the ceramic.
The alluvial clays of Bamendou-Balessing (West Cameroon) are characterized to evaluate their potential for ceramic products. Four representative samples collected in the study area were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential thermal analysis (DTA) coupled with thermogravimetry analysis (TG), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and physical analyses (particle size distribution and consistency limits). Firing properties of the specimens making from alluvial clays were determined. The alluvial clays are composed of clay minerals (45–64 wt%) dominated by kaolinite (92–98 wt%) with variable contents of illite (1–7 wt%) and vermiculite (0–2 wt%). The non-clay mineral phases are quartz (19–38 wt%) associated with variable proportions of K-feldspar (1–17 wt%) gibbsite (2–5 wt%) and goethite (1–12 wt%). The thermal behavior of the clayey samples shows dehydration of gibbsite and goethite at 281–288 °C and dehydroxylation of kaolinite at 521–524 °C. SiO2 (34.5–47.4 wt%), Al2O3 (25.4–29 wt%) and Fe2O3 (4.8–15.2 wt%) are the main major oxides. Samples G and YG present the most suitable physico-mechanical properties for fired bricks between 850 and 1100 °C (i.e. water absorption 19–29%, bulk density 1.49–1.81 g/cm3, compressive strength 12–23 MPa, metallic sonority, good cohesion). On the contrary, the samples R and B show poor physico-mechanical properties during firing due to their low fluxing agent (feldspar) content and high Fe2O3 content (9–15 wt%). The neoformation of mullite, spinel and cristoballite at 1100 °C occurs in specimens favoring the densification of the ceramic body.