The effects of the addition of boric acid on the porcelain tile

ABSTRACT Master of Science Thesis THE EFFECTS OF THE ADDITION OF BORIC ACID ON THE PORCELAIN TILE FİGEN AYDIN-E?Rİ Anadolu University Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences Ceramics Engineering Program Supervisor: Doç.Dr.Ferhat KARA 2003, 55 pages The purpose of this study is to increase the dry strength of the porcelain tiles by adding boric acid (H3BO3) as an auxiliary material into the body. On the trials that are conducted in the laboratory conditions, a significant increase in the dry strength of the porcelain tiles was observed with the addition of 0,3 % of boric acid into the porcelain tile body. To determine the effects of boric acid to the physical properties of porcelain tile before and after firing in industrial conditions, the same amount of boric acid was used in the body. As a result of these trials it was determined that the addition of 0,3 % of boric acid had increased the dry strength of tiles by 30 % more than original dry strength (i.e. without adding boric acid ). On these studies, the rheology of the body was also investigated. As the amount of boric acid in the body increases, the viscosity and the thixotropy of the slip increase. The addition of 0,3 % of boric acid is sufficient to increase the dry strength with optimum slip viscosity. If high amount of boric acid will be used for getting higher dry strength, it is necessary to study on the slip rheology with some different defloculants like STPP to adjust optimum viscosity of the porcelain slip. Keywords: Porcelain tile, boric acid, dry strength