In industrial processes that use high temperatures, greater fire great can reduce the cost of production and increase productivity. The use of faster and more efficient fire cycles has been little investigated by the structural ceramic industry in Brazil. As clay materials are submitted to high temperatures, pores are sealed by mass transport mechanisms and a series of thermally activated processes involving the initial constituents. The reactions that take place during firing depend on the nature and composition of the clay materials used. The firing cycle must be tuned to assure the technological performance required for each product, but at the same time minimize the consumption of energy. Samples were pressed under 25 MPa, dried and fired in an electric furnace. The heating rates selected were 2 °C/min (slow cycle) and 20 °C/min (fast firing). The holding time at the sintering temperatures (950 °C and 1050 °C) were null. This paper presents for the first time the use of a fast fire rate for raw materials using a traditional slow cycle and fast cycle were tested from physical and mechanical properties of the burned pieces were measured, with emphasis on water absorption and linear shrinkage tests. Microstructural analysis was performed using X-ray diffraction. The results show that is possible to obtain products with equivalent water absorption values and in enhanced mechanic properties when is used the fast firing.
clays; ceramic; fire cycle; energy; technological properties
