The Effect of Palm Oil Fuel Ash in Porcelain Glaze Development

Abstract The ceramic industry continuously seeks sustainable and cost-effective raw materials to improve the product properties while minimizing environmental impact. This study investigates the utilization of heat-treated palm oil fuel ash (POFA) as a replacement for silica (SiO2) in the porcelain glaze formulation. The glaze batch prepared using SiO2, Al2O3 and Na2CO3 was modified by incorporating both raw and heat-treated POFA at varying concentrations as a substitute for SiO2. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images demonstrated that sample with 20 wt. % treated POFA exhibited a denser and more uniform microstructure with a hardness value of 569 MPa. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed the presence of quartz and cristobalite in samples containing 20 wt. % POFA which are more stable phases formed from the SiO2. The results suggested that treated POFA enhanced the structural and mechanical properties of porcelain glazes, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional glaze raw materials.