This study aims to increase the feasibility of ceramics at low temperature using natural fibers. The ceramics (Ce) were prepared by mixing a powder of kaolin and fly–ash at an equal ratio of 50:50 wt.%. The mixture was milled by ball–milling technique. The natural fibers ceramics (CeNF) were created by adding local pineapple leaves to kaolin and fly–ash powder. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to amorphous observation and particle size determination. The compositions of Ce and CeNF were investigated by using X–ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The mechanical properties of ceramics were determined by hardness and density test. The results showed that the grinding of kaolin and fly–ash for 4 h produced the highest strength Ce. For the addition of local pineapple leaves at 2 wt.%, the strength could be increased from 92.9 kgf to 118.3 kgf.

In this research, the kaolin–based ceramic with 10-50 wt.% FA additive was fabricated by solid-state reaction. All powders were weighed, mixed and further milled by ball-milling for 4 h. All compositions of powders were uniaxial pressed in pellets and sintered at 1100 °C for 4 h. The XRD pattern of kaolin with FA additive showed that the kaolin phase was decreased with increasing FA and the single peak and the right shift resulted from the mix phase between quart phase and mullite phase of 40 to 50 wt.% FA. The SEM image of 10 to 30 wt.% FA addition illustrated melting grain and high roughness surface area. However, at the concentration of 40 to 50 wt.% FA addition provided the flat surface area and increased a porosity of the ceramics. The optimization of physical properties of ceramics included density, average linear shrinkage and hardness are 2.63 g/cm3, 24.62% and 135.32 kgf, respectively. The physical properties and microstructure of kaolin-based ceramics with FA additive are as the results of a structure properties relation.