Articles
  • Investigating triaxial electrical properties of ceramic composites for electroporcelain insulators
  • A.N.N. Dowuonaa,d, A.Yayaa,e,*, E. Nyanksona, J.K. Efavia, L.N.W. Damoaha, D. Dodoo-Arhina, V. Apalangyab, E. Annana, E.K. Tiburuc, B. Onwona-Agyemana and B. Tomiczekd
  • aDepartment of Materials Science & Engineering, CBAS, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana bDepartment of Food Process Engineering, CBAS, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana. cDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, CBAS, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana dInstitute of Engineering Materials and Biomaterials, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland eInstitut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel (IMN), UMR 6502, CNRS, Université de Nantes, 2 rue de la Houssinière, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3, France
Abstract
Four porcelain composites comprising kaolin (27-37%), beach sand (20-24%), ball clay (13-18%) and feldspar (25-40%), were formulated and characterized using powder XRD, SEM and particle size distribution analysis in order to determine their potential for use as electroporcelain insulators. Chemical, mechanical and electrical properties were also evaluated. Each of the formed samples were compressed at 200 MPa and sintered at 1250 oC for 1 hour. Bending strength results of the porcelain bodies showed increase in bending strength with reduction in particle sizes. An increase in dielectric strength was found for samples with a higher felspar content. The XRD pattern for all the sintered samples showed the presence of quartz and mullite phases in the body at different intensities. Samples with lower particle sizes showed similar electrical and mechanical properties to commercially available electroporcelains albeit at a cheaper cost of production.

Keywords: Ball milling, Particle sizes, Electroporcelains, SEM, XRD.

This Article

  • 2018; 19(2): 95-100

    Published on Apr 30, 2018