The Features of Deformation and Destruction of Porous Diatomitebased Ceramics

Abstract

The experimental and theoretical investigations of mechanical properties of porous materials are one of the priority areas of development of condensed matter physics. Diatomite ceramics can serve as a raw material for structural heat and sound insulating materials and additives to some types of cement, as a polisher for metals and marble. Diatomite-based ceramics are also used for thermal insulation in aluminum production. The foamdiatomite ceramics is a promising porous material. But the properties of diatomite ceramics are not well studied, which determines the relevance of the study. The main task of the present work is the investigation of porosity and elastic moduli of diatomite ceramics, as well as the effect of thermal treatment on its physical-mechanical properties. The work deals with studying mechanical properties of porous ceramics based on diatomite – asedimentary rock composed predominantly of shells with micro- and nanopores of 50 to 500 µm. From the results of studying the microstructure of porous diatomite-based ceramics, the average porosity of samples (~50%) was determined, and the values of static (35 to 45 GP?) and dynamic (0.3 to 0.8 GP?) elastic moduli were experimentally measured. It was found that the values of elastic moduli decrease as material porosity increases. The experiment showed that the elastic modulus of the considered high-porous material was two orders of magnitude less than that of the crystalline one.