TITLE:
Physico-Chemical Characterization and Stability Study in Acidic and Basic Solution of Ceramic Filters from Mouka’s Clay (Cameroon)
AUTHORS:
Ngiongboung Nguiamba, Placide Désirée Belibi Belibi, Joseph Marie Sieliechi, Martin Benoît Ngassoum
KEYWORDS:
Ceramic Filter, Chemical Stability, Clay, Filtration, Lixiviation Test
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering,
Vol.7 No.11,
November
28,
2019
ABSTRACT: This paper deals with the characterisation and study of physico-chemical stability of ceramic filters from clays and rice husk obtained from the far north region of Cameroon (Logone Valley) and their application in potable water treatment. Clays from Mouka were characterized by FTIR analysis. The results showed that the filter formulated with a mixture containing 80% clay and 20% rice husk of 100 μm in size each gave the lowest filter shrinkage rate; these formulated filters were chosen for the remaining work. Leaching tests showed that with filters at a sintering temperature of 830°C the leaching was not observed under neutral (pH 6.8) and acidic (pH 5) conditions as compared to 950°C and 1000°C where the leaching was observed. In basic (pH 9) condition, all the filters obtained released ions. Leaching tests revealed that the conductivity of the leachate for the filters sintered at 830°C was lower than those sintered at 950°C and 1000°C. Meanwhile, conductivity decreases with increasing sintering temperature (temperature up to 830°C) due to the fact that ceramization starts as from 850°C that leads to an amorphous state that favours chemical stability, the leaching ions were Fe2+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and Al3+. The ceramic filters sintered at 950°C were applied to the filtration of water and the performance in terms of turbidity reduction was 95% and the flow rate after 50 minutes was 100 × 10−3 L/h.