Production and characterization of magnesium oxychloride cement based polishing bricks for polishing of ceramic tiles

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Thesis Type: Postgraduate

Institution Of The Thesis: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Turkey

Approval Date: 2008

Student: MUHAMMED SAİD ÖZER

Supervisor: ABDULLAH ÖZTÜRK

Open Archive Collection: AVESIS Open Access Collection

Abstract:

Magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) based grinding and polishing bricks developed for polishing of granite based ceramic tiles were produced and characterized. For surface grinding 46 and 180 grit size SiO2 powder embedded MOC based abrasive bricks; for polishing 600 and 1200 grit size SiC powder embedded MOC based abrasive bricks followed by neat (unreinforced) MOC pastes were applied on ceramic tiles. Three different neat MOC pastes depending on MgO/MgCl2 molar ratio in the paste e.g. 6/1, 7/1, and 8/1, were formed and evaluated. Grinding bricks were formed by adding 30 weight percentage, wt%, of both SiO2 powders. Polishing bricks were formed by adding 20, 25, and 30 wt% of both SiC powders. X-Ray diffraction analyses revealed that MOC F5 was the main crystalline phase in the neat MOC pastes. Additions of both SiO2 and SiC powders enhanced mechanical properties namely; compressive strength and abrasion resistance, chemical durability in water and polishing ability of MOC paste. More than 25 wt% addition of SiC powders had a tendency to decrease the compressive strength and water resistance of MOC paste. Polishing performance of abrasive bricks was evaluated in terms of mean surface roughness of ceramic tiles and abrasive brick consumption upon polishing. Scanning Electron Microscope examinations revealed the evidences of the reasons that 25 wt% SiC powder embedded abrasive bricks has the best qualifications in terms of abrasion resistance and polishing performance.