Usage of ZnO containing wastes in the sanitaryware bodies

Galvanized waste is characterized from a mineralogical point of view in order to investigate the effects of its utilization in sanitary ware bodies. Galvanized waste was added to a sanitary ware body recipe at 1–10% weight in place of albite and kaolin content. In an attempt to investigate the effects of its utilization on the firing temperature of the body, the bodies were sintered at the temperatures 1200 °C and 1250 °C. The physical properties, such as deformation, water absorption, and coloring parameters were investigated. The phase and microstructural development of the selected samples were characterized using XRD and SEM, respectively. Experimental studies have shown that the utilization of galvanized waste at an optimum level, in place of albite and kaolin in sanitary ware bodies sintered at 1200 °C, has similar water absorption (%), lower deformation, and higher whiteness values compared with standard sanitary ware bodies sintered at 1250 °C. It was foreseen that a 4.75% energy saving would be achieved by decreasing the firing temperature from 1250 to 1200 °C.