Development of eco-friendly ceramic tiles incorporating sugarcane bagasse ash

Industrial waste has become one of the most serious problems facing society. Its improper disposal leads to environmental degradation and contamination of water sources and soil. However, this waste can also contribute to a more environmentally friendly brick industry, as the incorporation of fluxing improves the firing process and reduces the thermal conductivity of fired bricks by reducing the induced porosity. The aim of this work is to use sugarcane bagasse ash residue as an alternative low-cost additive in proportions of up to 10 % by mass together with a local raw material used in the production of ceramic tile type BIIb. The samples were analyzed individually via analytical techniques to describe their physicochemical properties and the microstructural characteristics of porosity and densification. The characterization results revealed that the clay consisted mainly of the minerals quartz (51.7 %), muscovite (13.9 %), feldspar (9.8 %), hematite (5.8 %) and calcite (2.7 %) and the clay minerals montmorillonite (4.8 %) and kaolinite (10.6 %), whereas the residue consisted entirely of quartz (72.9 %) and cristobalite (27.0 %). The incorporation of sugarcane bagasse ash residues into the clay used in the production of ceramic tiles up to 10 % by weight does not compromise the properties of the final product (type BIIa, BIIb and BIII), in addition to resulting in a more sustainable and economical process for the industry, providing excellent technical properties in terms of strength, linear shrinkage and water absorption, because this result was achieved only when fluxes in the natural clay mass used in porcelain tile were replaced. These results will help minimize the cost of the final disposal of waste from the ceramics sector, reduce the environmental impact and increase the value of ceramic tiles as sustainable byproducts.