Rose Margaret F. Albacete, Sanny Mark M. Cunanan, Chris Daniel F. Nabiong (March 2002)
Philippine Science High School Western Visayas Campus – Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PSHS WVC), Brgy. Bito-on, Jaro, Iloilo City 5000, Philippines
ABSTRACT
This study determined whether powdered marble could be used as substitute to ceramics in the manufacture of commercial tiles. It specifically determined and compared the water absorption, crazing resistance, chemical resistance, and breaking strength of 50%-50% and 75%-25% powdered marble tiles, and the commercial ceramic tiles. The Static Group Comparison in a Randomized Complete Block Design with triplicate tiles was employed in achieving the aims of this study.
The 50%-50% powdered marble tiles, and the commercial ceramic tiles all passed the standard requirements of the Bureau of Product Standards of the Department of Trade and Industry for water absorption, crazing resistance, KOH chemical resistance, and breaking strength tests. Only the commercial ceramic tiles passed the HCI chemical resistance test. The 50%-50% product tiles exhibited the highest water absorption (34.2%), followed by the 75%-25% product tiles while the commercial ceramic tiles exhibited the least (6.3%). Significant differences were observed in the water absorption capacities of the products and the commercial tiles, indicating that although the powered marble tiles passed the standard requirement, they were still inferior compared with the commercial ones. No significant differences were observed in the mean breaking strengths of the 50%-50% product tiles (306.79 N/mm2), 75%-25% product tiles (348.69 N/mm2) and the commercial ceramic tiles (449.94 N/mm2).