MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CHEMICAL BONDED PHOSPHATE CERAMICS WITH FLY ASH AS FILLER

This paper is concerned with the use of fly ash filler in chemically bonded phosphate ceramic (CBPC) composites, with the goals of reducing production costs and developing an environmentally benign structural material. Traditional ceramics are usually associated with high temperature processing which increases global warming. Fortunately, CBPC manufacturing can be performed at room temperature and the material itself is biocompatible. The CBPC was produced by mixing a phosphoric acid formulation and a controlled Wollastonite powder (both from Composites Support and Solutions). Fly ash was used as a filler material. Compressive strength, microstructure and different manufacturing process parameters were evaluated. Microstructure was identified by using optical and scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The microstructure characterization shows that CBPC is a composite itself with several crystalline (Wollastonite and brushite) and amorphous phases.