Investigation of the thickness thinning for the porcelain tiles and their applicability

In this thesis, it was investigated that porcelain tiles, which have an important market and competition in the world, can be produced by thinning their thickness. For this purpose; By characterizing porcelain tile bodies, it is aimed to produce thinner and environmentally friendly tiles. In the body, instead of Istanbul clays, the bentonite of Çanakkale region was used at the rates of 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5% by weight, respectively. The studies were carried out in industrial conditions in Çanakkale Seramik tile factories. New compositions have been studied by taking the standard porcelain tile body as a reference. Prepared body recipes were industrially baked by thinning 0.5 mm in standard thickness. The shrinkage amount, strength, water absorption, color and deformation values of the studied compositions were measured. When the bentonite amount of the newly developed bodies is used as 1% by weight, it has been observed that the colors with increased strength do not deteriorate. With this developed body, the thickness of the tile was reduced and the criteria of strength, water absorption, deformation and color were achieved. It has been determined that when using more than 1% of bentonite by weight, the flowing behavior deteriorates and the shrinkage increases. With this successful thinning process, approximately 6% savings have been achieved in the transportation of these products. As a result; It has been determined that it is possible to reduce the thickness of porcelain tiles by 5% by using 1% bentonite by weight instead of Istanbul clays. In the recipe prepared by using Sarıbeyli bentonite instead of Istanbul clay, by thinning the tile thickness by 5%, porcelain tile raw material cost will be saved by 8.1%. The savings in both shipping and raw material costs will provide the company that produces significant market advantages, especially in exports and in the domestic market. In addition, the transportation of bentonite raw material is about ten times shorter; emphasizing the importance of being fit for purpose, including CO2 emission.