Physico-chemical and structural properties of clay-based ceramic filters from Côte d'Ivoire

Two clays materials denoted D and Y were physico-chemically and structurally characterized by ICP-AES, XRD and DTA-TGA. For clay D they consisted mainly of 29.92% of kaolinite, 55.95% of quartz, 13.6% of illite and for clay Y, 41.9% of kaolinite, 42.41% of quartz, 10.65% illite and 4.25% of goethite. From these two clays D, Y and corn flour, ceramic filters were made by calcination at 1000°C. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a network of interconnected pores in the material. Mercury porosimetry revealed that the pore diameter is predominantly 1 pm. The ceramic filters produced with 75% D + 25% F and 75% Y + 25% F respectively had an open porosity of 52.8% and 50.6%. On the other hand, those produced with 50% D + 50% F and 50% Y + 50% F had an open porosity of 66.6% and 68.2%, respectively, similar to that of the standard reference ceramic filter (66.5%). The specific surfaces of the filters produced are much higher than that of the standard reference filter (2.1 m2 / g). After 60 days of immersion in water at different pH values, the produced ceramic filters do not disintegrate.