Effect of Slag on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Microwave-Sintered Floor Tile

Ebadzadeh, Touradj; Asadian, Keivan

doi:10.30501/acp.2025.534169.1181

Effect of Slag on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Microwave-Sintered Floor Tile

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

Touradj Ebadzadeh ¹

Keivan Asadian ²

¹ Professor, Department of Ceramics, Materials and Energy Research Center, Karaj, Iran.

² Assistance Professor, Department of Semiconductors, Materials and Energy Research Center, Karaj, Iran.

10.30501/acp.2025.534169.1181

Abstract

Copper slag is a solid waste generated during the industrial production of copper, and its accumulation in the environment poses significant challenges. To date, copper slag has been utilized in various industries, including construction, where it serves as clinker in cement, aggregate in asphalt, a component in glass compositions, and as a raw material in tile and brick manufacturing. Its application in these areas is primarily due to its chemical composition, which contains oxides of calcium, iron, silica, and alumina—components commonly found in cement clinker, asphalt aggregate, glass, tiles, and bricks. Therefore, the use of copper slag not only mitigates environmental waste but also reduces the consumption of non-renewable natural resources. One of the objectives of the present study is to explore the incorporation of copper slag in the tile industry to decrease slag reserves. The results indicate that adding slag to the tile composition increases the density and reduces the porosity of the floor tile after sintering. Specifically, the addition of 5 wt% slag allowed the sintering temperature to decrease from 1200°C to 1170°C, while maintaining comparable density and porosity values. The addition of slag had a negligible effect on the hardness of the samples; however, it significantly influenced flexural strength. The incorporation of 15 wt% slag resulted in an approximately 30% increase in flexural strength compared to tiles without slag.

Keywords

Floor TilSlagMicrowave SinteringMechanical PropertiesMicrostructure

Subjects

Properties (Physical, Mechanical, Optical, Electrical, Thermal, Chemical, Structural, Acoustical, Environmental, Radiological, Magnetic, Atomic, Thermodynamic, and Manufacturing)

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