Investigation of the Utilization Potential of Tobacco Plant Waste Ash in Ceramic Bodies

This study aims to evaluate the potential use of tobacco plant waste ash as an alternative raw material in ceramic bodies. Although various agricultural residues such as rice husk ash, olive waste, and coffee husk have been widely investigated in ceramics, studies specifically focusing on the effects of tobacco ash in ceramic bodies remain extremely limited. In this research, tobacco waste obtained from Adıyaman (Turkey) was characterized using XRF, and ICP-MS analyses. Grog-based and casting-slip-based bodies were formulated with 0–25 wt% ash additions, fired at 1160 °C, and examined in terms of water absorption, linear shrinkage, color changes, and surface morphology. The results indicate that low to moderate ash additions (3–10 wt%) promoted sintering, controlled porosity, and produced more stable microstructures. The lowest water absorption values were obtained in samples ST10 (15.75%) and DT0 (19.8%). However, higher ash additions (20–25 wt%) significantly increased porosity, with water absorption rising to 31.3% in DT25, indicating reduced densification efficiency. Total shrinkage exhibited an irregular trend in grog-based bodies due to the non-plastic nature of chamotte. Overall, the findings demonstrate that tobacco ash can be incorporated into ceramic bodies at optimal levels of 10–15 wt%, within which acceptable water absorption, controlled microstructural behavior, and desirable surface characteristics can be achieved. Thus, tobacco ash represents both an environmentally sustainable raw material alternative and an innovative functional additive capable of modifying ceramic body properties.