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Preparation of Refractory Mortar from Iraqi Raw Materials

Article  in  Topics in Applied Physics · September 2018

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 Preparation of Refractory Mortar
Duraid F. Mahdi
from Iraqi Raw Materials
In this work, scraps from fire-clay brick were used to make refractory mortar by adding
Iraqi kaolin (Alduejlh Zone) at different percentage contents (21, 27, 32, 40 and 47%).
Division of Materials Science,
By crushing and milling, the mixtures of kaolin stone and fire-clay brick scraps were
School of Applied Sciences,
University of Technology, converted into powders of different particle sizes. The specimens were made as disks for
Baghdad, IRAQ the measurements of bulk density, water absorption, thermal conductivity, specific heat
capacity and bond strength. The specimens with 40% kaolin showed the best properties
as they are closer than others to the fire-clay brick properties.

Keywords: Refractories; Mortars; Furnace lining; Thermal cement binders

1. Introduction mill (Baird & Tatlock, UK) with 22 porcelain balls

Refractory materials most commonly used for
lining furnace walls are synthesized mainly from
silica-alumina geomaterials. The control of the
quality of refractory demands a wide knowledge in
various scientific fields [1]. In general, refractory
products are classified into two types: brick of fired
shapes, and specialties or monolithic refractories.
They are made of natural and man-made materials,
usually nonmetallic, or combinations of other
compounds and minerals such as alumina, fireclays,
bauxite, chromite, dolomite, magnesite, silicon
carbide, zirconia and a host of others [2-3].
Fire-clay brick comprise about 75% of the
production of refractories on a volume basis and are
essentially hydrated aluminum silicates with minor
proportions of other minerals. Typical composition
consists of SiO2<78% and Al2O3<44%. They are
extremely versatile; least costly of all refractory
bricks and are extensively used in the iron and steel
industry, non-ferrous metallurgy, glass industry,
pottery kilns, cement industry and by many others.
From the standpoint of fusion temperature, super
duty fire-clay brick have a pyrometric cone
equivalent (PCE) of approximately Cone 33, which
corresponds to 1746°C. This means that, at this
temperature in a clean, slag free, neutral to slightly
oxidizing atmosphere, this brick would be unable to
support its own weight [4].
Mortars are available in compositions that either
approximate the brick they are holding together, or
are chosen so that their thermal expansion will be
similar to the brick with which they are used. The
goal is to achieve a lining that comes as close as
possible to being a monolithic and continuous
refractory structure [2].
2. Experimental Work
Many procedures was made in this research and
indicated in the block diagram as shown in Fig. (1).
The procedures are explained as follows. The broken
brick and Iraqi kaolin stone were converted into
small aggregates by using Retsch Jaw Crusher
(Germany). Then the small aggregates were
converted into fine powders by using porcelain ball
for 24 hours run with medium velocity. The fine
powders were sieved at different particle sizes (75,
125 and 250 µm for Iraqi kaolin, and 75 and 125 µm
for fire-clay brick). Sieving process was running for
6 hours with discontinuous mode.
The weight of one batch is (21.08 gm) and the
research is making five batches with different
addition of Iraqi kaolin which are (21%, 27%, 32%,
40% and 47%). The quantity of Iraqi kaolin is
consist of three different particle sizes with constant
weigh percentages which are 75 µm (30%), 125 µm
(35%) and 250 µm (35%). Also the quantity of fire
clay brick fine powder consist of two particle sizes
with constant weigh percentages which are 75 µm
(30%) and 125 µm (35%). By using digital balance
with two digits, all different batches are weighs
according to weigh percentages of addition Iraqi
kaolin and mixed by manual porcelain mortar. The
good mixing is done when grinding and stirring is be
good and all the different powders are interfering
and become one powder with one color as obvious
for eye. In this time adding water to mixture with
(35%) from weight of one batch and making sure to
be homogenous distribution in all particles of
powder and aggregates be formed. Table (1) shows
the weighs and percentages for all different batches
in this research.
The fire clay bricks were cut to small pieces by
using diamond cutter machine. The dimensions of
small piece of fire clay brick were 40×35×15 mm.
Every different batch was put in two cutting bricks
to test the bond strength as shown in Fig. (2a). Two
types of discs with different diameters (25 and 40
mm) were formed as shown in Fig. (2b,c).
After forming process, the specimens were left
for 24 hours in normal atmosphere for drying and
disposed of adding water and moisture from forming
specimens’ exactly. The furnace temperature was
slowly increased up to 1600°C to avoid cracks that
may exist throughout moisture vapor; crystalline
water vapor and phase transformations.
 under the cited conditions, is expressed as a
percentage of the dry mass of the specimen as [8]:
𝑀 −𝑀
𝑊𝐴𝐶 = 𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑑 × 100 (2)
𝑀𝑑
where Mmax is the mass of the specimen at
maximum water absorption and Md is the dry mass
of specimen. The specimens were immersed in
deionized water for 24 hours and took their masses
when be at maximum water absorption.
The specific heat capacity (cps) is determined by
the following equation [9]:
ms.cps (Ts–T2) = mw.cpw (T2–T1) + mc.cpc (T2–T1) (3)
where ms is the mass of specimen (g), Ts and T2 are
temperatures of heated specimen (100°C) before and
after put inside the calorimeter, respectively, T1 is
the initial temperature of water, mw is the mass of
water (g), cpw is the specific heat capacity of water
(4184 J/g.°C), mc is the mass of calorimeter (g) and
cpc is the specific heat capacity of calorimeter (0.385
J/g.°C).
Thermal conductivity (K) is determined by the
following relations [10]:
I . V = 𝜋 𝑟 2 e(𝑇𝐴 + 𝑇𝐵 ) + 2𝜋𝑟𝑒[𝑑𝐴 𝑇𝐴 +
1
𝑑𝑆 (𝑇𝐴+ 𝑇𝐵 ) + 𝑑𝐵 𝑇𝐵 + 𝑑𝐶 𝑇𝐶 ] (4)
2
𝑇𝐵 −𝑇𝐴 2 1 1
𝐾( ) = 𝑒[𝑇𝐴 + (𝑑𝐴 + 𝑑𝑆 )𝑇𝐴 + 𝑑𝑆 𝑇𝐵 ] (5)
𝑑𝑆 𝑟 4 2𝑟
where TA , TB and TC, dA, dB and dC are temperatures
and thicknesses of A, B and C brass discs,
respectively, dS is thickness of specimen, r is radius
of each brass disc, I is the passing electric current
(0.25 A), and V is supply voltage (6 V).
Thermal shock test was performed on specimens
at different temperatures (200, 400 and 600°C) for
15 min, then the specimens are put under load to test
Fig. (1) Block diagram of the experimental part of this work
bond strength.
The bond strength (B) is calculated as [11]:
B= P/A (6)
where P is the maximum load (N) and A is the
bonded area in tile (m2)

3. Result and Discussion

As shown in Fig. (3), the bulk density increases
with the kaolin content in the prepared batch. This is
because the density of added kaolin is higher than
the density of fire-clay brick scraps as well as the
increase in formation of Mullite phase due to
increasing bulk density.

Fig. (2) Shapes of the prepared specimens

Bulk density () can be calculated directly from

mass (M) and volume (V) measurements as [7]:
𝑀
𝜌= (1)
V Fig. (3) The variation of bulk density with percentage content
Water absorption capacity (WAC), defined as the of kaolin
maximum quantity of water absorbed by a material
 Figure (4) indicates the increase in water
absorption capacity with the content of added kaolin
to the prepared batch. It is obvious that when the
bulk density is increased, the water absorption
capacity is decreased due to decreasing the
percentage of porosity in contradiction to Fig. (4).
The change in the batch structure by increasing the
content of added kaolin lead to change in the
physical, chemical, mechanical and thermal
properties of the batch. Also, increasing kaolin
content leads to densification at some regions and
formation of air holes and pores at others through
the same batch. Figure (4) shows reasonable
difference in the values of water absorption capacity
of the batches than those of fire-clay brick because
of increasing kaolin content.
Fig. (4) The variation of water absorption capacity with
percentage content of added kaolin
Small increase was clearly observed in specific
heat capacity of the prepared batches due to the
increase in the content of added kaolin as shown in
Fig. (5). This increase lead to increase the latent heat
of the prepared batches, which means low
consumption of energy supplied to the furnace built
from brick and refractory mortar prepared in this
work.
Fig. (5) Variation of specific heat capacity with the percentage
content of the added kaolin
As shown in Fig. (6), thermal conductivity of the
refractory decreases with increasing the percentage
content of added kaolin, which causes increase in the
water absorption capacity, as shown in Fig. (4). This
leads to increase the number of pores and air holes
because of the change in batch structure and
decrease in thermal conductivity. The main
observation is that the value of thermal conductivity
of batch A is the nearest to that of fire-clay brick
than other prepared batches.
Fig. (6) The variation of thermal conductivity with the
percentage content of added kaolin
Figure (7) shows the variation of bond strength
with the percentage content of added kaolin. The
behavior is varying from region to another because
of the formation of micro-cracks after sintering
process. The formation of Mullite and glass phases
assists the bond strength and adhesion force to
increase and hence keep two bricks adhered for long
time. This is resulted due to phase interference and
fusion between the surfaces of brick and refractory
mortar (prepared batch).
Fig. (7) Variation of bond strength with the percentage
content of added kaolin
Figure (8) shows the variation of bond strength
with the percentage content of added kaolin for the
refractory prepared batches at temperatures of 200,
400 and 600°C. As can be seen, the lowest value of
bond strength was obtained in case of 200°C due to
less hardening performed on the batch prepared at
200°C. This can be also attributed to the formation
of new cracks and the presence of macro- and micro-
cracks.
4. Conclusion
The addition of kaolin to refractory mortar
(prepared batches) leads to improve the properties of
refractory mortar, such as bulk density and bond
strength, but this improvement continues to a certain
limit of added amount. The best percentage content
of added kaolin was found to be 40%. Increasing the
 percentage content leads to increase the formation of
Mullite, Cristobalite, Corundum and glass phases in
the refractory mortar (prepared batches) as well as
the bulk density, bond strength, thermal
conductivity, specific heat capacity and thermal
shock resistance and to decrease porosity and water
absorption capacity. The bond strength became weak
at high work temperatures due to the development
and growing of macro- and micro-cracks spreading
within the bond regions when sudden changes in
temperatures occur. It is possible to use different
additives, such as silicates, carbonates and feldspar
to improve the quality of refractory mortar.
Fig. (8) The variation of thermo-bond strength with the
percentage content of added kaolin
References
[1] Chaouki Sadik & et. , “Composition and refractory
properties of Mixtures of Moroccan Silica-Alumina Geo-
materials and Alumina”, New Journal of Glass and
Ceramics, Vol.3, Scientific Research, An Academic
Publisher, 2013, USA, Page 59.
[2] “Refractories”, The Refractories Institute, 301 fith
Avenues Suite 1517.Pittsburgh, PA 15222, 1987,
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Table (1) Weighs and percentages for all different batches
A Batch
Kaolin 21% = 4.5 gm
Particle size ≤ 75 µm (30%) = 1.35 gm
Particle size ≤ 125 µm (35%) = 1.57 gm
Particle size ≤ 250 µm (35%) = 1.57 gm
B Batch
Kaolin 27% = 5.7 gm
Particle size ≤ 75 µm (30%) = 1.72 gm
Particle size ≤ 125 µm (35%) = 1.99 gm
Particle size ≤ 250 µm (35%) = 1.99 gm
C Batch
Kaolin 32% = 6.75 gm
Particle size ≤ 75 µm (30%) = 2.03 gm
Particle size ≤ 125 µm (35%) = 2.36 gm
Particle size ≤ 250 µm (35%) = 2.36 gm
Kaolin 40% = 8.43 gm
Particle size ≤ 75 µm (30%) = 2.53 gm
Particle size ≤ 125 µm (35%) = 2.95 gm
Particle size ≤ 250 µm (35%) = 2.95 gm
E Batch
Kaolin 47% = 9.91 gm
Particle size ≤ 75 µm (30%) = 2.97 gm
Particle size ≤ 125 µm (35%) = 3.47 gm
Particle size ≤ 250 µm (35%) = 3.47 gm
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WWW.odp.tamu.edu/publication/126-
SR/VOLUME/CHAPTERS/sr126-37.pdf, Page 551.
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Architectural Conservators”, ICCROM, Italy, 1980, Page
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[9] ASTM C351-92b, “Standard Test Method For Mean
Specific Heat of Thermal Insulation”, Annual Book of
ASTM Standard, 04-02.
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[11] ASTM C482-02, “Standard Test Method For Bond
Strength of Ceramic Tile to Portland Cement Paste”,
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Firebrick Powder 79% = 16.57 gm
Particle size ≤ 75 µm (30%) = 7.65 gm
Particle size ≤ 125 µm (35%) = 8.92 gm
Firebrick Powder 73% = 15.38 gm
Particle size ≤ 75 µm (30%) = 4.61 gm
Particle size ≤ 125 µm (35%) = 10.77 gm
Firebrick Powder 68% = 14.33 gm
Particle size ≤ 75 µm (30%) = 4.3 gm
Particle size ≤ 125 µm (35%) = 10.03 gm
D Batch
Firebrick Powder 60% = 12.65 gm
Particle size ≤ 75 µm (30%) = 3.8 gm
Particle size ≤ 125 µm (35%) = 8.85 gm
Firebrick Powder 53% = 11.17 gm
Particle size ≤ 75 µm (30%) = 3.35 gm
Particle size ≤ 125 µm (35%) = 7.82 gm