Characterization of the Acid-Base Character of Burned Clay Ceramics Used for Water Decontamination

Andrei Victor Sandu; Viorica Vasilache; Ioan Gabriel Sandu; Joseph M Sieliechi; Innocent Kouassi Kouame; Petre Daniel Matasaru; Ion Sandu

doi:10.3390/ma12233836

Characterization of the Acid-Base Character of Burned Clay Ceramics Used for Water Decontamination

Materials (Basel). 2019 Nov 21;12(23):3836. doi: 10.3390/ma12233836.

Authors

Andrei Victor Sandu^{1

2}, Viorica Vasilache³, Ioan Gabriel Sandu¹, Joseph M Sieliechi⁴, Innocent Kouassi Kouame⁵, Petre Daniel Matasaru⁶, Ion Sandu^{3

7}

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of lasi, Blvd. D. Mangeron 71, 700050 Iasi, Romania.
² Center of Excellence Geopolymer & Green Technology (CeGeoGTech), School of Material Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), P. O. Box 77, d/a Pejabat Pos Besar, Perlis, Kangar 01000, Malaysia.
³ Arheoinvest Centre, Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, Department of Science, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, 11 Carol I Blvd, 700506 Iasi, Romania.
⁴ National School of Agro Industrial Sciences (ENSAI), University of Ngaoundere-Ngaoundere, PO.Box 455 Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
⁵ Laboratory of Geosciences and Environment, UFR Science and Environmental Management, Nangui Abrogoua University, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.
⁶ Telecommunications and Information Technology, Faculty of Electronics, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of lasi, Carol I 11A, 700506 Iasi, Romania.
⁷ Romanian Inventors Forum, Str. Sf. P. Movila 3, 700089 Iasi, Romania.

Abstract

The paper presents the results of ample investigations performed on industrial and traditional ceramics of fired clay used in processes of water potabilization in the last stage of filtration, after that of active charcoal. Using the data obtained through the scanning electron microscope coupled with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX) and pH analyses, on the basis of the atomic composition and free concentration of hydronium ions, the normal caustic (Si/Al) and summative [(Si+Ti+FeIII+Cl)/(Al+Ca+Mg+Na+K)] modules were assessed, which were correlated with the free acidity and, respectively, the capacity of absorption and ionic exchange of the Fe³⁺ and Al³⁺ ions. The study allowed the selection, on the basis of the caustic module, of the ceramics with high capacity for ionic exchange.

Keywords: SEM-EDX.; acid-base character; caustic module; ceramics; water treatment.