Prospect of the large-format ceramic hollow-porous blocks on the base of siliceous gaize rocks production

Since the end of the last century, construction industry enterprises have been in constant search for solutions to increase the products thermal protection properties, as achieving buildings normative energy saving is possible, among other, due to the provision of wall materials increased thermal insulation characteristics. These requirements can be met by using ceramic large-format hollow-porous blocks of average density 750–800 kg/m³ and thermal conductivity coefficient 0.7–0.1 W/(m.^oC) with compressive strength at least 10–15 MPa in masonry walls. The high cost of such blocks of high-quality clay restrains their mass introduction into construction. It is possible to reduce the cost of blocks if we use common siliceous gaize rocks and coal industry waste as the main charge components. Clay gaize from the Rostov region and coal sludge from the Obukhovskaya CPP were studied in this work. Microscopic studies, X-ray phase analysis and thermocrafting have shown the potential suitability of this raw material for the production of porous ceramics. The study of the fired laboratory samples properties confirmed the possibility of obtaining highly porous durable ceramic stone. The conclusion: continuation of research in order to obtain full-format ceramic wall materials in production conditions is promising.