Studies on PVC-Clay Mixture as Function of the Temperature Cooking

In Italy, the amount of thermoplastic materials is 5 million tons. The recovery is necessary through simple processes with high efficiency. The aim of this paper is to study the use of plastic material particles in the ceramic industry for the production of light bricks, since this waste burns during firing at high temperature. The clay is extracted by disused quarry of South Italy and the PVC is a by-product of polymeric bars production (San Giovanni in Fiore- Calabria). The clay and the PVC waste were characterised by thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction to identify the crystalline phases of raw material and EDS analyses to determine the chemical composition. Mixtures containing waste and clay materials were formed by extrusion and fired in a furnace using range temperatures of 900°C-1100°C. The obtained final products are bricks of 15 cm of length, 2 cm of thickness and 1.2 cm of height. The physical and mechanical properties were studied. These properties are used to define process firing temperature. Water absorption and linear shrinkage tests carried out as a function of the firing temperature.