EVALUATION OF CLAY MATERIALS FROM SOME DEPOSITS IN EKITI STATE, NIGERIA, FOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS

Abstract

Clays have found applications in many areas of technology especially their use as refractories for transforming nearly every material for modern technology. Since clays are of different types and vary in their suitability for different industrial applications, every clay deposit must be characterized in order to determine the best applications for it. In this research, clay samples were obtained from three locations with massive deposits in Ekiti State (Ikere, Ijero and Isan), in Nigeria. The samples were characterized by various compositional analysis techniques namely X-ray Diffrection (XRD), X-ray Flouresence (XRF) and Scanning Electron Microscope with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS). Property tests were also conducted on the samples after which they were subjected to various property-enhancement processes, including gravity degritting and reductive bleaching. Their suitability for various applications including plasiticity and refectory were also investigated by firing at different temperatures. The Ikere and Ijero clays appear to be very close in every characteristic and property but the Isan clay is different from them. It is dark in colour and remained dark after bleaching while the other two became lighter than their initial colour after reductive bleaching. Isan clay contains higher percentage (55.56%) of silicon oxide (SiO2) than Ikere and Ijero clays (42.46%) and (48.79%) respectively. The Isan clay is more plastic and smoother after degritting. It appeared more suitable for refractory and structural applications than Ikere and Ijero which may be more suitable in pharmaceutical, decorative and other applications requiring aesthetic property