The characterisation of paper composite porcelain in a fired state by XRD and SEM

Paper composite porcelain is widely used to produce artistic objects in ceramic art. The aim of this study is to characterise the microstructure and chemical compositions of paper composite porcelain since they determine the material properties. Interaction between paper filler, paper fibre, and the porcelain clay body in its fired state were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The starting materials were kaolin, feldspar, quartz, hybrid copy/print waste paper, and other waste papers. XRD clearly shows that the paper composite porcelain bodies in the fired state mainly consist of alpha-quartz, mullite, anorthite and amorphous materials in a complex matrix. In the fired state, calcite from the waste paper's relict interface to kaolinite from porcelain. A transformation to anorthite in the microstructure of paper composite porcelain was indicated. In the microstructure, anorthite tubes were observed as fibrous structures in their fired state. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.