ENGINEERING CERAMICS AND GLASSES

LAB REPORT 1
SUBMITTED TO:
DR. MOHSIN ALI RAZA, Engr. Muhammad Ishtiaq

SUBMITTED BY:
FAIZAN KARAMAT

ROLL NO:
17MME-S1-315

DEPARTMENT OF METALLURGY AND MATERIALS

ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITY OF THE PUNJAB.

1
Experiment # 1:
Determine the percentage of moisture content in given samples of traditional ceramics and
report its relation with time of heating.

Objectives:
The main objective of the experiment was to find the percentage of moisture content in
different clays and to determine that which clay has the most affinity with water.

For this purpose clays like china clay, fire clay, bentonite clay, silica sand, potash feldspar and
soda feldspar dried in oven.

Principle:
The principle of the experiment based on evaporation process. Clay heated at 100℃ and the
water vapours evaporates.

Apparatus:

 Electric oven for heating clay

 Crucible in which clay was placed
 Weight balance
 Tong for handling crucible
 Desiccator for cooling
 Stopwatch

Materials Required:

 China clay
 Fire clay
 Bentonite clay
 Potash feldspar
 Soda feldspar
 Silica sand

Procedure:
Crucibles were taken and placed in oven to completely dried. Weight of crucibles were
measured using weight balance. Weighed amount of each clay samples were taken in separate
crucibles. Each crucible with sample were placed with the help of tong in electric oven of
temperature about to 100℃ for 10 minutes. After heated for 10 minutes crucible were taken

2
sout and placed in desiccator. After 2 to 3 minutes crucible were taken out and weighed again.
The amount of weight loss was calculated. The process was repeated again and again until the
weight loss remains the same.

Observations & Calculations:

Table 1: Experimental data for bentonite clay
Weight of crucible= 18.47g

Sr.# Weight of sample Time of heating % wt. loss %Residual wt.

(g) (min) (moisture content)

1 1.00 0.00 0.00 100

2 0.99 10.0 1.00 99
3 0.98 20.0 2.00 98
4 0.98 30.0 2.00 98

y Table 2. Experimental data for china clay

Weight of crucible= 22.57g

Sr.# Weight of sample Time of heating % wt. loss %Residual wt.

(g) (min) (moisture content)

1 10.0 0.00 0.00 100

2 9.9 10 1.00 99
3 9.4 20 6.00 94
4 9.4 30 6.00 94

Table 3. Experimental data for fire clay

Weight of crucible= 22.15g

Sr.# Weight of sample Time of heating % wt. loss %Residual wt.

(g) (min) (moisture content)

1 10.04 0.00 0.00 100

2 10.04 10 0.00 100
3 10.02 20 0.19 99.81
4 10.02 30 0.19 99.81

Table 4. Experimental data for potash feldspar

3
 Weight of crucible= 18.20g

Sr.# Weight of sample Time of heating % wt. loss %Residual wt.

(g) (min) (moisture content)

1 10.07 0.00 0.00 100

2 10.06 10.0 0.09 99.91
3 10.06 10.0 0.09 99.91
4 10.06 10.0 0.09 99.91

Table 5. Experimental data for soda feldspar

Weight of crucible= 22.06g

Sr.# Weight of sample Time of heating % wt. loss %Residual wt.

(g) (min) (moisture content)

1 10.01 0.00 0.00 100

2 9.9 10 1.00 99
3 9.8 20 2.00 98
4 9.8 30 2.00 98

Table 6. Experimental data for silica sand

Weight of crucible= 18.97g

Sr.# Weight of sample Time of heating % wt. loss %Residual wt.

(g) (min) (moisture content)

1 10.03 0.00 0.00 100

2 10.02 10 0.09 99.91
3 8.1 20 19.2 80.75
4 8.1 30 19.2 80.75

Graphical representation
From the above the mentioned data graphs are plotted as time on x-axis and % residual weight
on y axis. Graphs will help us in studying moisture content in each sample.

4
Graph 1. Representing %Residual weight for Bentonite clay

Graph 2. Representing %Residual weight for china clay

5
Graph 3. Representing %Residual weight for Fire clay

Graph 4. Representing %Residual weight for potash feldspar

6
Graph 5. Representing %Residual weight for soda feldspar

Graph 6. Representing %Residual weight for silica sand

7
feldspar

Graph 7. Representing %residual weight for bentonite clay, china clay, fire clay, potash
feldspar, soda feldspar and silica sand.

Results and Discussion

From the Above graphs let me clarify that there might be error in the percentage of moisture
content in silica sand and bentonite clay probably due to human error. According to literature
Bentonite clay has the most moisture content in it. The reason is that the bentonite clay has
flakes particles structure so it has large surface area and absorbed water excellently. Potash
feldspar and soda feldspar have very little percentage of moisture content as shown in Graph
7. China clay and fire clay also have low moisture content because their particles size are bigger
so effective surface area will be less.

Conclusion
According to above mentioned data and literature it can be concluded that bentonite has most
moisture content in it. Basically percentage of moisture content in clays depends on the
structure, surface area and colloidal content in clay. As bentonite has large surface area and
high emulsion content so it has the most affinity to water than any other clay.

8
References
[1]. Testing of engineering ceramics and plastics by PROF. DR. FAZAL KARIM, page# 42,43.
[2]. Ceramics and glass materials by James F. Shackelford and Robert H. Doremus, page# 124,129.

[3]. The Chemistry and Physics of clays by DR. GRIMSHAW, page# 468

[4]. Determination of water content in clay by V V kramarenko et al 2016 IOP conf. page# 2,3.