Abstract
The fishing of shellfish is one of the most important commercial activities of the fishing community of the municipality of Cabedelo (Paraíba, Brazil). The step of processing, after the extraction of the mollusk, generates a large amount of shells, whose discharge, in considerable volume, causes silting of large areas and consequent environmental imbalance. In the search for the use of these residues (mollusk shells) and aiming at reducing the environmental problems caused, this work had the aim of studying the incorporation of mollusk shell powder in the mass of porcelain tile. Ceramic compositions were formulated from an industrial standard mass and mollusk shell powder or commercial CaCO3 ranging from 0 to 7% by weight. Samples prepared by uniaxial pressing had their technological properties evaluated as a function of the sintering temperature. The results indicated that the use of up to 7 wt% of the mollusk shell powder maintains the technological properties within the standards required by the ABNT (Brazil) for classification as BIa type porcelain tiles.
Keywords:
mollusk shells; white ceramic; reuse; sustainable development
