EFFECT OF COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL AND FORCE ON POROSITY OF CERAMIC MEMBRANE.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Ceramics are inorganic, nonmetallic solids and crystalline amorphous materials whose molecules are held together by covalent bond and /or ionic bonds. They are usually; hard, brittle, stable to high temperatures, less dense than metals, more elastic and have very high melting points. Ceramics are mostly made from clay soil. Ceramic water filtration involves the use of a porous ceramic (annealed clay) medium to filter microbes and other contaminants from water. The ceramic water filters have undergone improvements to the extent of being able to treat water contaminated by bacteria. Therefore, the project investigated porosity of the ceramic filter with the aim of coming up with a more porous ceramic filter to provide enough water for household level. The filters that were investigated were developed by mixing clay and sawdust in various proportions by volume. The ratios of clay to sawdust that was used were: 60:40, 55:45, 50:50, 45:55, and 40:60 respectively. The clay and sawdust were measured in volume ratio and mixed thoroughly using a mixer while dry and thereafter made into a workable mass (dough) by adding mrenda syrup .This is then mixed until it clamps together completely and soft .Once a workable mass is attained, it was wedged to mix the clay further and remove bubbles from the dough. Different dough were made and molded to disc-shaped using a hydraulic press. The disc-shaped ceramic membrane was then left to dry under room temperature for 14 days before annealing using a programmable furnace. The annealed filters were then subjected to porosity test by using Archimedes immersion technique. It was observed that porosity decreases with increase in ratio of clay to sawdust ,force used during molding also had an effect on porosity in a sense that increase in force reduced porosity