Principal Supervisor: A/Prof Yunfei Xi
Associate Supervisor: Prof Ian Mackinnon and Mr Lloyd Gainey (External Supervisor)
PhD Overview
This project mainly focuses on the roles of raw clays and industrial additives during the brick manufacturing process. A series of local natural minerals and waste products, such as clay minerals, carbonate minerals, gypsum boards, etc., will be chosen at different dosages to obtain different brick products in this project. General trends of in-situ phase changes in the function of chemical and mineralogical composition variables will be explained, and corresponding effects on brick properties will be outlined. This research aims to advance fundamental knowledge of mineralogical transitions at the high-temperature firing stage and improve the current quality control strategy to achieve a more economical brickmaking process.