Usability of Deli Halil (Osmaniye) basaltic pumice in glass ceramic production and characterization

The need for raw materials ever-increasing due to the consumption of natural sources makes it inevitable to use waste materials and natural rocks as alternative raw materials in the production of various materials. This study investigates the usability of basaltic pumice in glass ceramic production, which is cited within natural rock group that may become alternative raw material source and has a widely distributed surface reserve in East Mediterranean Region.Differential thermal analysis was performed on glass sample poured into mold after 3 hours at 1450oC, and accordingly, nucleation and thermal processes were applied. Phase transformations and microstructures forming under thermal process conditions were determined by differential thermal analysis (DTA), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Chemical properties of basaltic glass-ceramics were determined besides physical properties like density, rigidity and flexure strength. The same processes were also applied to basaltic glasses with (2%-6%) TiO2 nucleating agents.Homogenous and black basalt glasses with high glassing property were obtained from basaltic pumice as a result of the performed applications, and pyroxene phase was formed by the crystallizations of unsupplemented basalt glasses and 2%-4% TiO2 supplemented basalt glasses. Besides pyroxene phase, hematite phase was formed by the crystallization of 6% TiO2 supplemented basalt glasses. Supplemented and unsupplemented basalt glass ceramics subjected to nucleation and crystallization growth processes demonstrated good distribution to chemicals and their rigidity ranged between 615-740 kg/mm2 (HV01), biaxial flexure strength ranged between 53-206 MPa.