HYDROTHERMAL PRODUCTION OF LIGHTWEIGHT POROUS CERAMICS FROM DIATOMITE AND TREPEL (original) (raw)

The aim of this research is to obtain light ceramic products from the reaction of diatomite with calcium hydroxide and trepel with calcium hydroxide. Diatomite is a loose, soft, porous, weakly bound rock with white to grayish color. Trepel is a natural mixture of diatomite and clay minerals. During the hydrothermal reaction of diatomite and trepel with calcium hydroxide new phases are formed. The newly formed phases are calcium silicate hydrates. The products obtained after the hydrothermal reaction are lightweight materials. Probes obtained from mixtures of trepel and calcium hydroxide have bulk density 0.85 g/cm 3 whereas the probes with diatomite and calcium hydroxide have bulk density 0.91 g/cm 3. The compressive strength of probes with trepel is 22.5 MPa while the compressive strength of probes with diatomite is 19.4 MPa.