Department of Materials Science and Engineering

(Ceramic Engineering Program)

CERE 122 Ceramic Raw Materials and Processes

CALCULATIONS ON THE EMPIRICAL FORMULA, FORMULA

WEIGHTS AND PROBABLE MINERAL ANALYSIS ON CLAY
MATERIALS USING RATIONAL ANALYSIS
Ideal Mineral Formula of Clay Materials: KAOLINITE (Al2O3.2SiO2.2H2O)

Groupings of oxides components present in Clay Materials:

RO/R2O group R2O3 group RO2 group

CaO Al2O3 SiO2
MgO Fe2O3 TiO2
Na2O Cr2O3
K 2O
MnO
Source: Andrews A.I., Ceramic Tests and Calculations, 1950 John Wiley &sons,Inc., pp 106-113
Wilson, Hewitt, Ceramics: Clay Technology, 1927 McGraw-Hill Book Compnay, Inc., pp-39-43

Engr. Dionesio C. Pondoc

Associate Professor III
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
(Ceramic Engineering Program)
CERE 122 Ceramic Raw Materials and Processes

Engr. Dionesio C. Pondoc

Associate Professor III
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
(Ceramic Engineering Program)
CERE 122 Ceramic Raw Materials and Processes

Given the chemical analysis of clay materials presented in Table 3 in the

previous slide: clay sample B3 composed of 44.870 % SiO2, 37.27 % Al2O3,
1.31 % Fe2O3, 0.10 % MgO, 0.31 CaO, 0.031 Na2O, 0.069% K2O, 1.36% TiO2,
0.16% P2O5, 0.005 % MnO, 0.200 H2O and 14.100 LOI . Calculate the
empirical formula, formula weight, and probable mineral analysis of the
clay materials.
Solution: Assume that the weight of the clay sample is 100 grams
a. Determine the molecular weight of each oxide components present in
clay material.
SiO2 = (1 x (at. weight of Si)) + (2 x (at. weight of O))
= (1 x 28.086 g/mole) + (2 x 15.999 g/mole)
= 60.084 = 60 g/mole
and the rest of the oxide components just follow the calculation of SiO 2
Al2O3 = 102 g/mole Fe2O3 = 160 g/mole MgO = 40 g/mole CaO = 56 g/mole
Na2O = 62 g/mole K2O = 94 g/mole TiO2 = 80 g/mole P2O5 = 142 g/mole
MnO = 71 g/mole H2O = 18 g/mole LOI (CO2) = 44 g/mole
Engr. Dionesio C. Pondoc
Associate Professor III
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
(Ceramic Engineering Program)
CERE 122 Ceramic Raw Materials and Processes

b. Determine the moles equivalent for each oxide component by using the
formula:

mole = weight/molecular weight

for SiO2 = weight of SiO2/ MW of SiO2

moles SiO2 = 44.870 grams / 60 grams/mole = 0.74783 mole
and the rest of the oxide components just follow the calculation of SiO 2

c. Determine the empirical formula by arranging the values of mole

equivalent for each oxide component following the oxides groupings.
RO/R2O group R2O3 group RO2 group Impurities
_____CaO _____Al2O3 0.74783 SiO2 _____Fe2O3
_____MgO _____P2O5
_____Na2O _____TiO2
_____K2O _____MnO
_____H2O Engr. Dionesio C. Pondoc
Associate Professor III
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
(Ceramic Engineering Program)
CERE 122 Ceramic Raw Materials and Processes
Impurities
RO/R2O group R2O3 group RO2 group
0.00819 Fe2O3
0.00554 CaO 0.36539 Al2O3 0.74783 SiO2
0.00113 P2O5
0.00250 MgO
0.01700 TiO2
0.00050 Na2O
0.00007 MnO
0.00070 K2O
0.01111 H2O
0.32045 LOI (CO2)
Since this is a clay material, then we put the R2O3 group into unity or 1.
RO/R2O group R2O3 group RO2 group Impurities
0.00554/0.36539 CaO 0.36539/0.36539 Al2O3 0.74783/0.36539 SiO2 0.00819/0.36539 Fe2O3
0.00250/0.36539 MgO 0.00113/0.36539 P2O5
0.00050/0.36539 Na2O 0.01700/0.36539 TiO2
0.00070/0.36539 K2O 0.00007/0.36539 MnO
0.01111/0.36539 H2O
0.32045/0.36539 LOI (CO2)
RO/R2O group R2O3 group RO2 group Impurities
0.01516 CaO 1.00000 Al2O3 2.04666 SiO2 0.02241 Fe2O3
0.00684 MgO 0.00309 P2O5
0.00136 Na2O 0.04652 TiO2
0.00192 K2O 0.00019 MnO
0.03040 H2O
0.87701 LOI
Engr.(CO 2)
Dionesio C. Pondoc
Associate Professor III
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
(Ceramic Engineering Program)
CERE 122 Ceramic Raw Materials and Processes
Empirical formula of clay material sample B3:
0.02241 Fe2O3
0.01516 CaO 0.00309 P2O3
0.00684 MgO 1.00000 Al2O3 2.04666 SiO2 0.04652 TiO2
0.00136 Na2O 0.00019 MnO
0.00192 K2O 0.03040 H2O
0.87701 LOI (CO2)
Formula Weight = (0.01516x56) + (0.00684x40) + (0.00136x62) + (0.00192x94
+ (1x102) + (2.04666x60) + (0.02241x160) + (0.00309x142) +
(0.04652x80) + (0.00019x71) + (0.03040x18) + (0.87701x44)
= 273.08207
= 273.08g/mole

Engr. Dionesio C. Pondoc

Associate Professor III
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
(Ceramic Engineering Program)
CERE 122 Ceramic Raw Materials and Processes
Probable minerals present in clay material sample B3 based from their oxide
components:
CaO – Anorthite (CaO.Al2O3.2SiO2) , Calcite (CaCO3)
MgO – Serpentine (3MgO2SiO22H2O), Magnesite (MgCO3)
Na2O – Albite (Na2OAl2O36SiO2)
K2O – Orthoclase or Microline (K2OAl2O36SiO2)
Al203 – Kaolinite (Al2O32SiO22H2O)
SiO2 – Quartz (SiO2)
TiO2 – Rutile (TiO2)
Fe2O3 – Hematite (Fe2O3)

Engr. Dionesio C. Pondoc

Associate Professor III
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
(Ceramic Engineering Program)
CERE 122 Ceramic Raw Materials and Processes
Components
Mineral Clay SiO2 Al2O3 Fe2O3 CaO MgO Na2O K2O TiO2 H2O
(Norms) 2.04666 1.00000 0.02241 0.01516 0.00684 0.00136 0.00192 0.04652 0.03040

Orthoclase (K2O.Al2O36SiO2) 0.01152 0.00192 0.00192

Remaining 2.03514 0.99808 0.00000

Albite (Na2O.Al203.6SiO2) 0.00816 0.00136 0.00136

Remaining 2.02698 0.99672 0.00000

Anorthite 0.03032 0.01516 0.01516

(CaO.Al2O3.2SiO2)
Remaining 1.99666 0.98156 0.00000
Kaolinite 1.96312 0.98156
(Al2O3.2SiO2.2H2O)
Remaining 0.03354 0.00000
Quartz (SiO2) 0.03354
Remaining 0.00000

Hematite (Fe2O3) 0.02241

Remaining 0.00000

Rutile (TiO2) 0.04652

Remaining 0.00000

Engr. Dionesio C. Pondoc

Associate Professor III
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
(Ceramic Engineering Program)
CERE 122 Ceramic Raw Materials and Processes
Equivalent Molecular
Weight Weight Percentage
(mole) (g/mole) (grams)
Mineral Clay (Norms)
Orthoclase 0.00192 556 1.07 0.40

Albite 0.00136 524 0.71 0.27

Anorthite 0.01516 278 4.21 1.58

Kaolinite 0.98156 258 253.24 95.11

Quartz 0.03354 60 2.01 0.75

Hematite 0.02241 160 1.31 0.49

Rutile 0.04652 80 3.72 1.40

TOTAL 266.27 100.00

Engr. Dionesio C. Pondoc

Associate Professor III
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
(Ceramic Engineering Program)
CERE 122 Ceramic Raw Materials and Processes

ASSIGNMENT 1: Due on Feb. 10, 2023 Friday

Given the chemical analysis of
clay materials presented in Table
3 in the previous slide: clay
sample H1 composed of 45.510 %
SiO2, 36.990 % Al2O3, 1.12 %
Fe2O3, 0.12 % MgO, 0.10 CaO,
0.034% Na2O, 0.18% K2O, 1.38%
TiO2, 0.14% P2O5, 0.005 % MnO,
0.22% H2O and 13.92% LOI .
Calculate the empirical formula,
formula weight, and probable
mineral analysis of the clay
materials. Use Microsoft Excel
software in doing your
calculation.
Engr. Dionesio C. Pondoc
Associate Professor III