EFFECT OF CARBON BLACK CONTENT ON MORPHOLOGICAL, CRYSTALLINE PHASE, AND MECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF POROUS CERAMIC LAYERS

Abstract

Porous ceramic materials are important components in many technical applications due to their unique combinations of characteristics. The problem statement comes from the requirement to increase the mechanical performance of porous ceramic materials while maintaining their desirable characteristics. The objective of this study is to investigate how carbon black (CB) content affects the morphology, crystalline phase, and mechanical characteristics of porous ceramic layers. The methodology involves synthesizing ceramic mixtures and conducting comprehensive material characterizations. To accomplish this objective, porous ceramic samples with varied CB content were created utilising the double pressing method. The surface morphology and microstructure of the porous ceramic layers were investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Among the tested compositions, it was found that the addition of 3 wt% of CB yielded the most favourable outcome, characterized by uniform grain size and a porous structure. The sintered samples exhibited an average increase in flexural strength from 36.36 to 49.72 MPa in the presence of CB (1 wt% to 3 wt%) then decrease from 37.32 to 33.02 MPa (4 wt% to 5 wt%), a phenomenon commonly associated with reduced mechanical properties in highly porous materials. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was utilised to detect changes in crystalline phases caused by the presence of carbon black, and it was identified as orthoclase (KAlSi₃O₈). In conclusion, porous ceramic layers present a promising solution for the application in the construction industry.