The use of bovine bone, a byproduct of the cow meat industry, in the manufacture of ceramic products can be an alternative for a higher value of such material on the market. The production of a special type of porcelain known as "bone china" employs about 50% by weight of calcined bones, emphasizing the use of recycled raw material in the manufacture of quality refined porcelain. In the case of porcelain processed by slip casting, the treatment performed on bone, to remove the organic matter directly affects the rheological properties of the slips containing this raw material. The present study evaluates the influence of calcination conditions on the physicochemical characteristics of the bones for use in porcelain processed by slip casting. We analyzed the properties of the bone powder by means of infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, laser particle size, specific surface area and scanning electron microscopy. The rheological behavior of the bone slip is evaluated as a function of solids concentration and the type and amount of dispersant used in solution. The results indicate that the calcination temperature affects the properties of the powder, changing its rheology and amount of dispersant required for stabilizing suspensions.
bovine bones; calcination; rheology; slip casting; hydroxyapatite
