Performance of Dioscorea rotundata Peel as an Environmental Waste Additive in Enhancing the Insulating Properties of a Local Clay Mineral

摘要

The effect of Dioscorea rotundata peel environmental waste as an insulating additive for local clay was studied. The potential of a low cost indigenous clay mineral obtained from Akpugu-Ezedike in Nigeria for industrial application was also evaluated.The clay was characterized by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Prepared slurry mixture of the clay and peels were shaped, dried and fired. The chemical composition of the clay was determined by classical methods. Physical properties such as linear shrinkage, total shrinkage, modulus of rupture, apparent density, bulk density, apparent porosity's welling index and water absorption, modulus of plasticity and refractoriness of the firedsamples were determined. The clay was found to have a refractoriness of 1200 deg C. SEM analysis revealed an increase in porosity of the fired clay bodies with increase in dosage of Dioscorea rotundata added. This result was corroborated by the high apparent porosity 49.67 - 60.02% and water absorption recorded 30.92 - 48.44% for the mixed fired samples. The result of this study clearly indicated the potential of Dioscorea rotundata peel as additive in enhancing insulating properties of fired clay as well as the usefulness of the local clay mineral for industrial purposes.