INFLUENCE OF CARBONATE COMPONENT OF CLAY COMPOSITION ON MICROWAVE SINTERING AND STRENGTH OF CERAMIC MATERIAL

The results of experimental studies on firing in microwave electromagnetic field of samples from montmorillonite containing clay of Kalininsky and Maksimkovsky deposits sensitive to drying are presented. The description of chemical and mineralogical compositions of the studied clays, as well as additives: chalk and waste of soda production of KEKa is presented. The thermograms of clay compositions combined with the appearance of samples fired in the microwave field show the influence of carbonate additives in the form of CaCO3-enriched Maksimkovsk clay, KEK and chalk on the sintering quality and strength of samples. The dependence of the quality of the samples fired in the microwave field on the energy value of the endothermic decomposition process of the mineral component of the clay composition has been established. The results of thermal and X-ray phase analyses of microwave-fired samples are shown. The results of X-ray phase analysis of microwave-fired samples modified with KEK and chalk showed the presence of the same, but different in content, silicates Ca and Mg. Microstructure and phase composition of samples with carbonate additive, which showed the highest strength, have in the phase composition of annealed samples silicates Ca and Mg (CaMgSi2O6, Ca2MgSi2O7), as well as a large percentage of amorphous glass phase.