Microstructure and Thermal Diffusivity of Ceramic Powders

For the first time, the thermal diffusivity (α) in red clay samples has been determined as a function of the annealing time, for a furnace temperature above 900◦C. The thermal diffusivity measurements on the samples were obtained by means of the photoacoustic technique in a heat transmission configuration. A complementary microstructure analysis using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS) has been performed. The ceramic material used in this work is widely used in the fabrication of several kinds of building materials such as bricks and roof tiles in the north oriental region of Colombia (Cúcuta). The importance of these results is in the determination of conditions to obtain manufactured products with the desired heat transport capacity.