ABSTRACT
In this paper, the effect of sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) addition to the brick making clay has been analyzed using spectroscopic techniques. For that, mixtures of brick making clay (BMC) with sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) in proportions of 0-20 wt.% were hydraulic uniaxially pressed and sintered at temperatures of 800-1100 °C. The partial replacement of the brick making clay with SCBA was studied with chemical and mineralogical analyzes (XRF and X-ray diffraction). The quantitative estimation of minerals was made by FTIR analysis. The results of FT-IR reveal that kaolinite, quartz, and lignin are predominant, whereas, cellulose and calcite are in moderate levels. In addition, magnetite and hematite are found in trace level. The overall results reveal that the brick making clay substituted with 15 wt.% of SCBA can open up a new path for the fabrication of quality bricks at low cost.
ABSTRACT
In the present study, the fluorite cubic phase of bare and ZrO2-CuO co-doped ceria (CeO2) nanoparticles have been synthesized through a simple chemical precipitation method. X-ray diffraction results revealed that average grain sizes of the samples are within 5-6nm range. The functional groups present in the samples were identified by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) study. Surface area measurement was carried out for the ceria nanoparticles to characterize the surface properties of the synthesized samples. The direct optical cutoff wavelength from DRS analysis was blue-shifted evidently with respect to the bulk material and indicated quantum-size confinement effect in the nanocrystallites. PL spectra revealed the strong and sharp UV emission at 401nm. The surface morphology and the element constitution of the pure and doped nanoparticles were studied by scanning electron microscope fitted with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer arrangement. The thermal decomposition course was followed using thermo gravimetric and differential thermal analyses (TG-DTA).
