The authors reported, on continuing the previous reports part I-IV, the further results of various studies on the fine refractory and electric insulating material of magnesium silicates “steatite”. The main points were abstracted from the original Japanese paper, as sollowing:
(1) The raw material of talc sample (E) in the report part IV was used to mould under various moulding pressures 200-600kg/cm
2 without water and burned at 1400°C for several hours from 2 hours to 6 hours. The transverse and compressive strengths, apparent and true densities, and porosities of the specimens were compared in the following table 1.
As seen from the table, the strength and porosity were considerably improved by the moulding conditions under higher pressure (600kg/cm
2) and without water, but the longer heating was not so effective.
(2) Dead burned magnesia and quartz were ground and mixed in molecular ratio: (I) 3MgO: 4SiO
2 as talc-(TB), (II) 3MgO: 2SiO
2 as serpentine-(SB) and (III) 2MgO: 3SiO
2 as meerschaum (MB). These three mixtures were moulded by adding 3% of boric acid powder under several moulding pressure 300-600kg/cm
2 and without moulding water, and then burned at 1400°C for 6 hours. The specimens were tested on their several physical properties as before and obtained the following results.
It is seen from these results that these steatite specimens obtained from the three mixtures of dead burned magnesia and natural quartz sand were not of so good properties as those from natural talc in the foregoing experiments. So that, these speciments must be burned at a little higher temperature then 1450°C to obtain the specimens of properly sintered and having higher strength and smaller porosity.
(3) Talc powder (E) was mixed with small percentage (about 3-5%) of dead burned magnesia, lime or alumina, moulded under high moulding pressure 600kg/cm
2 with or without water, and then burned at serveral temperatures 1300, 1400 or 1450°C for 2 hours. The specimens thus obtained were tested on their properties as before and the following results in the table 3 were obtained.
As seen from these results, the strengths of the specimens I-1 (magnesia added) and II-a (lime added) are not so good as those of talc without admixture, but the other specimens III-2 and III-3 (3-5% alumina added) have very good results. This good effect by the addition of alumina or aluminium hydroxide is now further systematically being studied on, with the object of obtaining the new modified steatite of good quality.
(4) The sample “Shuganseki” (A) in the report I, having the rational formular 3MgO·2SiO
2·2H
2O and obtained in Manchukuo, was used directly or after calcining at 700°C, moulded with 5-20% water or starch solution under pressure 600kg/cm
2, and burned at 1450°C for 2 hours. The specimens had large strengths, large densities and small porosities, but on the contrary the burning shrinkage was very large, which is only one defect. These results are tabulated in the following table 4.
It is seen from these results that, when the steatite of very large strength and small porosity will be desired, the raw material of “Shuganseki” is to be first moulded under very large pressure with some moulding medium, preliminarily burned at about 1200-1300°C, cut out to the desired dimensions, and then again burned at about 1450°C.
(5) The present authors are now further studying on various points of steatite, e. g., heat conductivity, electric resistance, chemical resistance, etc., which will be hereafter reported in the next reports.
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