Group Members

MUHAMMAD USMAN (M12-314)

Aurangzaib (M12-316)
Title
To determine thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) of given sample of clay.
Aims:
To observe the changes in clay sample when it is heated at different temperatures .i.e. From
room temperature to high temperature. To determine the purity of a mineral, inorganic
compound, or organic material. May be used to determine water content.

Principle:
Given sample is heated at increasing temperatures variation in the weight of sample occurs due
to removal of moisture, removal of carbon contents from carbonates present in clay. Draw the
graph between temperature and weight residual %.

Apparatus/materials:
Bentonite clay
China clay
Fire clay
Muffle furnace
Vacuum desiccator
China crucible
Electrical balance

Procedure:
First clean the crucible and put it in the furnace for 15 minutes. Then put it in vacuum desiccator
for 10 minutes to cool down. Weight the crucible in the electric balance. Take the required
sample (bentonite, fire clay, china clay) in the crucible. The sample is heated at 110 C 5 for 10
minutes then cools it in the vacuum desiccator for 5 minutes. Weight it in the electric balance.
Repeat the above procedure for 210C, 610C and 900C for 5minutes and weight it in the electric
balance.

Theory:
The behavior of clay is different at increasing temperature. Physical and chemical changes occur
in clay such as crystallization formation, liquid formation and an oxidation and reduction
reaction occurs. When clay is heated at 110C . The boiling point of water is 100C so the
adsorbed water is evaporated and weight of clay decreased and at 450 C Hydroxyl groups
removed from clay.
Al2Si2O5 (OH) 4

Al2Si2O7 + 2H2O

When bentonite clay is heated at high temperature i.e. 120-300C internal layer of water is
removed. . At 650C Hydro-oxy groups be removed,
When clay is heated (300-800C) carbon, organic material and sulphur is removed. Clay also
contains chemically combined water. This chemically combined water is removed (350-800C)
Fire and China Clay are belonging to kaolinite group in which Alumina and Silicate group is
present. Clay contain silica oxide which has crystalline structure it structure changes at 573C.this
is called quartz inversion in which clay particle increase in size by 2% by heating and loose 2%
when it is cooled. At 900C the clay particles begin to fuse now it becomes a ceramic material.
This process is called sintering.
Reference:
Book: chemistry and physics of clays and other ceramic material by ALFRED. B .SEARLE
Link: www. pottery.about.com/od/temperature and maturation/tp/tempclay.htm

Observation and Calculation:

China clay:
Amount of china clay =0.101gm
Weight of empty crucible=17.908gm
Weight of crucible + clay=17.908 + 0.101 =18.009gm
Weight changes in china clay sample during heating

Temperature Weight of
(C)
crucible
+clay (gm)

Weight Weight
of clay fraction
(gm)

%weight %weight
residual loss

30
100
210
410
610
900

0.101
0.081
0.077
0.078
0.068
0.062

100
80.1
76.2
77.2
67.3
61.3

18.009
17.989
17.985
17.986
17.976
17.970

1
0.801
0.762
0.772
0.673
0.613

0
19.9
23.8
22.8
32.7
38.7

Graph:

Bentonite clay:
Amount of bentonite clay =0.110gm
Weight of empty crucible =16.163gm
Weight of crucible +clay =16.273gm
Weight changes in bentonite clay during heating

Temperature Weight of
(C)
crucible
+clay(gm)

Weight of
clay (gm)

Weight
fraction

%weight
residual

%weight
loss

30
100
210
410
610
900

0.110
0.094
0.095
0.094
0.086
0.078

1
0.854
0.863
0.854
0.781
0.709

100
85.4
86.3
85.4
78.1
70.9

0
14.6
13.7
14.6
21.9
29.1

Graph:

16.273
16.257
16.258
16.257
16.249
16.241

Fire clay:
Amount of fire clay=0.104gm
Weight of empty crucible=16.725gm
Weight of crucible +clay=16,829gm
Weight changes in fire clay during heating

Temperature Weight of Weight of

(C)
crucible
clay (gm)
+clay (gm)

Weight
fraction

%weight
residual

%weight
loss

30
100
210
410
610
900

1
0.971
0.990
0.951
0.884
0.836

100
97.1
99.0
95.1
88.4
83.6

0
2.9
1
4.9
11.6
16.4

16.829
16.826
16.828
16.824
16.817
16.812

0.104
0.101
0.103
0.099
0.092
0.087

Graph:

Result:
%weight loss:
China clay =38.7
Bentonite clay=29.1
Fire clay =16.4

Discussion:
45
40
35
30
25
Series1

20
15
10
5
0
china clay

bentinite

fire clay

From the above figure it can be seen that china clay has more chemically attached water and
other impurities. Fire clay contains less amount of chemically attached water.
Fire clay contains high percentage of silica and alumina with some impurities like lime,
Magnesia, Soda and potash. Fire clay also contains moisture. When clay is heated at 110C
adsorbed water is removed. At the temperature of 210C carbon and other organic material is
removed. From the 1st graph it can be seen that weight of clay increases at 210C due to oxidation
of carbonates and other minerals then weight gradually decreased due to evolution of chemically
combined water. Weight may be increased due to mishandling of the sample due to the
adsorption of water.
It can be seen from figure 2 of fire clay the point of inflection is at 400C.it is the point on the
derivative curve where the weight of clay decreases then increases in the limited range of
temperature. AT 900C clay become start fusing and it is harden.