Enhancing Porcelain Tile Properties with HCl-Treated Palm Oil Fuel Ash (HCl-TPOFA) as Partial Silica Replacement

This investigation is regarding the potential of incorporating silica (SiO2) derived from the hydrochloric acid-treated palm oil fuel ash (HCl-TPOFA) into a normal triaxial porcelain tiles composition comprising kaolin, feldspar, and silica. The HCl-TPOFA was employed for POFA purification and enhanced efficiency. HCl-TPOFA was introduced into the porcelain tiles composition basically to substitute SiO2 at varying weight percentages between 0 and 25 weight percentage. Physical and mechanical properties, which include bulk density, mass loss, water absorption, compressive strength, and volume shrinkage, were systematically evaluated. Results reveal that the sample containing HCl-TPOFA treated with a 2 M concentration exhibits the highest bulk density (2.46 g/cm3) and attains a maximum compressive strength of 297 MPa at a 15 weight percentage addition of HCl-TPOFA. X-ray diffraction analysis identified quartz and mullite phases, contributing to densification and yielding a high-density value. The incorporation of HCl-TPOFA in porcelain tiles formulation proves advantageous in enhancing properties without compromising its quality, making it a promising waste material (POFA) for porcelain tiles production.