Use of marble waste powder as an alternative raw material in high-voltage porcelain insulator glazes

The increasing demand for energy and the development of new residential and industrial areas have raised the need for energy transmission lines and insulators. Porcelain insulators are still the most widely used type of insulator in the industry due to their high durability and reliable electrical performance. These insulators have a glaze layer on their surface, which serves to enhance the product's strength and provide the necessary electrical properties. The glaze contains materials such as quartz, feldspar, clay, kaolin, calcite, dolomite, as well as coloring oxides. However, with the increase in porcelain insulator production, the consumption of glaze also rises, leading to higher costs and the depletion of natural resources. In this context, global threats such as environmental pollution and the rapid increase in waste have prompted the search for alternative raw material sources. In this study, new glaze recipes have been developed by replacing calcite and dolomite, which are commonly used in high-voltage porcelain insulators, with marble waste. Experimental data shows that marble waste powder can be used in porcelain insulator glazes up to about 7%, yielding similar technical properties. The use of marble waste in porcelain insulator production will provide significant environmental, mechanical, chemical, and economic benefits, contributing to sustainable production processes.