Multipurpose compositions for wall and floor tiles utilising pyrophyllite and common clay

A multipurpose single body composition was utilized for producing tiles for various applications viz., wall, floor or high abrasion resistant vitrified product only by controlling the firing schedule. A body composition containing 90% pyrophyllite may be utilized by producing wall tiles at 1060 degrees C with 0.86% linear shrinkage, 14.2% water absorption and 1.62 MPa flexural strength while the same composition when fired at 1175 degrees C exhibited properties like 4.0% linear shrinkage, 4.0% water absorption and 38.7 MPa flexural strength which conform to the requirements of floor tiles. Similarly a composition containing 50% pyrophyllite on firing at 1175 degrees C exhibited 5.75% linear shrinkage, 0.23% water absorption and 60.0 MPa flexural strength which conform to the requirements of synthetic vitrified tiles. The same composition at 1125 degrees C may be utilized for protecting floor tiles. XRD analysis of sintered samples confirms the presence of quartz and mullite. The latter phase increases with increasing pyrophyllite content. Presence of mullite in higher proportion was responsible for the development of higher flexural strength. Microstructural features were also observed through SEM