Formation and properties of glass-mica composite materials

Abstract

Glass-mica composite material of different physical structures has been developed from mixtures of recycled soda-lime waste glass powder and a locally produced phlogopite-type mica powder by a simple sintering process at temperatures above 780°C for 30 minutes or longer. The composite material can be fabricated into products having either a cellular-structure consisting of both closed and open cells or a highly densified ceramic structure having very little porosity. The fabricated glass-mica composite product with the densified ceramic structure is found to have a compressive strength higher than 53 MN/m² and thermal conductivity values in the range of 0.198–0.250 W/m, °C when measured over the temperature range, 25–180°C. These mechanical and thermal properties are found to be superior than those of the conventional building materials, such as concrete, masonry products and cement mortar. This suggests that the glass-mica composite is a potential material for building construction applications because it could contribute to energy conservation.