Ceramic material and production method for ceramic material

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a ceramic material that exhibits superior design properties and has an external appearance like that of a natural material. The ceramic material includes a base material and a design material such that at least a part of the design material is exposed on the surface. The design material has a different particle size / and or color tone from the base material. The ceramic material makes it possible to achieve a design having a more natural appearance. It is preferable for the ceramic material to further contain a coloring material, for the bulk density of the design material to be 0.02-0.4, and for the bulk density of the coloring material to be 0.3-0.8. The design material preferably has at least a color tone different from that of the base material. In such a case, it is preferable that the ΔL* value be more than 0 but not more than 70, the Δa* value be more than 0 but not more than 20, the Δb* value be more than 0 but not more than 45, and the ΔE*ab value be more than 0 but not more than 73.8.

Description

Ceramic materials and manufacturing methods thereof

[0001] The present disclosure relates to ceramic materials and methods for manufacturing ceramic materials.

[0002] Ceramic materials have been known for use in the exterior and interior walls, roofs, etc. of buildings. In conventional ceramic materials, designs have been formed by molding a pattern using a mold or by painting with paint. However, in recent years, there has been a need for designs with a natural texture, and ceramic materials with designs closer to a natural texture have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-020157

[0004] The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 involves impact processing the surface layer of a molded body, removing all or part of the surface layer to expose the interior, thereby obtaining an exterior material with excellent design. However, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires the skill, effort, and cost of impact processing, as the material that forms the design does not appear on the surface in its natural state. Meanwhile, there has been a demand for the development of ceramic materials with better design that make use of the material's original texture.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide a ceramic material that has an appearance similar to that of natural materials and has excellent design properties.

[0006] The present disclosure relates to a ceramic material including a substrate and a decorative material, at least a portion of which is exposed on the surface and which has a particle size and / or a color tone different from that of the substrate.

[0007] The present disclosure relates to a ceramic material comprising a substrate and a decorative material, at least a portion of which is exposed on the surface and which differs from the substrate in particle size and / or color tone, the decorative material having a bulk density of 0.02 to 0.4, and the coloring material having a bulk density of 0.3 to 0.8.

[0008] <Ceramic Material> The ceramic material according to this embodiment includes a base material and a decorative material. A portion of the decorative material is exposed on the surface of the ceramic material, and the color and shape of the material itself used as the decorative material constitute the design. The decorative material differs from the base material in particle size and / or color tone. This allows for a design with a natural feel. The uses of the ceramic material are not particularly limited, but it can be used, for example, as decorative panels for the exterior or interior walls of buildings, exterior structural components such as gate sleeves and fences, roofing materials, partitions, etc.

[0009] (Substrate) As the substrate, any material used for ceramic materials can be used without any particular limitation, including, for example, cement, aggregate, pulp, silica sand, coloring material, waste material, etc.

[0010] Examples of cement include, but are not limited to, ordinary Portland cement, high-early-strength cement, alumina cement, magnesia cement, etc. Examples of aggregate include lightweight aggregate and silica stone. Examples of lightweight aggregate include perlite, pumice, and shirasu balloons. Examples of pulp include, but are not limited to, various pulp materials such as wood pulp (N-wood pulp, L-wood pulp, etc.), waste paper pulp, mechanical pulp, and chemical pulp. Examples of silica sand include, but are not limited to, artificial silica sand produced by crushing and classifying quartz, and natural silica sand collected and classified in the form of quartz sand from land, estuaries, coasts, etc. Examples of waste materials include fly ash, blast furnace slag, silica fume, and recycled materials (crushed scraps generated during the hardened body manufacturing process).

[0011] [Coloring material] The substrate may contain a coloring material as needed. The coloring material is used for the purpose of coloring the substrate. Therefore, in the concept of the color tone difference between the design material and the substrate described later, the color tone of the substrate containing a coloring material means the color tone of the substrate colored by the coloring material. The coloring material is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that it contains a carbonized material obtained by carbonizing waste material or biomass material. This allows the CO ２can be fixed to the ceramic material. A specific example of the coloring material is bamboo charcoal. The coloring material may be the same as the design material described below. For example, by adjusting the particle size of the design material, it can also be used as a coloring material. One type of coloring material may be used, or two or more types may be used in combination.

[0012] [Water Repellent] The substrate preferably contains a water repellent. Because the ceramic material according to this embodiment contains a decorative material, depending on the quality of the decorative material, it is expected that the water absorption rate of the ceramic material will be higher than that of ceramic materials that do not contain a decorative material. If the water absorption rate of a ceramic material is high, there is a risk of frost damage or changes in the design after thawing. By incorporating a water repellent into the ceramic material, the above-mentioned situations can be prevented. The content of the water repellent is preferably 0.01 to 5 mass% solids mass ratio based on the total weight of the solids of the ceramic material. The content of the water repellent is more preferably 0.1 to 2.5 mass%, and even more preferably 0.2 to 1.2 mass%.

[0013] In addition to the above components, the base material may contain known components that can be contained in ceramic building materials, within the scope that does not impair the effects of the present disclosure. For example, aggregates such as fine aggregate and coarse aggregate other than those described above, mica, reinforcing fibers (such as polypropylene), wood fibers, water-reducing agents, retarders, foaming agents, antifoaming agents, etc.

[0014] (Design Material) At least a part of the design material is exposed on the surface of the ceramic material. The design material is added for the purpose of imparting design to the ceramic material. The design material preferably contains a carbonized material obtained by carbonizing waste material or biomass material. This allows CO ２can be fixed to ceramic materials. Specific examples of carbonizable materials (materials that can be carbonized) used as design materials include smoked charcoal, coconut shells, peanut shells, pine cones, edamame shells, flower petals, cedar, chestnuts, resin, fruit peels, cow and pig manure, mushroom tips and stubs, and plum seeds. Of the above design materials, materials other than those already carbonized do not need to be carbonized. Design materials other than carbonizable materials may also be used, such as vermiculite, eggshells, and seashells. One type of design material may be used, or two or more types may be combined. It is preferable to use at least two types of design materials, a first design material and a second design material, in combination. This allows for a more natural-looking design. The first design material and the second design material may be different materials, or the same type of material with different particle sizes, etc. Alternatively, the coloring material, the first design material, and the second design material may be the same material but with different particle sizes. In the following description, the first design material may be charcoal and the second design material may be vermiculite. In addition to the above, the design material may also have a moisture-regulating function or a fragrance-imparting function.

[0015] <Color Tone of Each Component in Ceramic Material> In the ceramic material according to this embodiment, it is preferable that the color tone of the base material and the design material are different. As a result, a design with a natural texture is preferably formed by the design material exposed on the surface. The color tones of the base material, the design material, and the coloring material are different from each other. ＊ a ＊ b ＊ Chromaticity according to the color system (L ＊ , a ＊ , b ＊ ) can be expressed as chromaticity (L ＊ , a ＊ , b ＊ The measurement of the color difference can be performed using a commercially available color difference meter. For example, a color difference meter CR-400 (manufactured by Konica Minolta, Inc.) can be used.

[0016] The color tone of the substrate is not particularly limited, but may be L ＊ may be 20 or more and 75 or less, 30 or more and 65 or less, or 38.7 or more and 55.7 or less. ＊may be -5 or more and 5 or less, -3 or more and 3 or less, or 0.1 or more and 0.4 or less. ＊ may be -5 or more and 10 or less, -3 or more and 7 or less, or 2.1 or more and 4.0 or less. The color tone of the base material is the color tone of the base material that may contain a colorant.

[0017] The color tone of the decorative material is not particularly limited, but L ＊ may be 5 or more and 75 or less, and a ＊ may be greater than or equal to -5 and less than or equal to 15, ＊ may be greater than or equal to −5 and less than or equal to 40.

[0018] When the decorative material includes a first decorative material and a second decorative material, the color tone of the first decorative material is not particularly limited, but may be L ＊ may be 5 or more and 35 or less, 10 or more and 25 or less, or 13.6 or more and 18.6 or less. ＊ may be -5 or more and 5 or less, -3 or more and 3 or less, or 0.6 or more and 1.8 or less. ＊ may be -5 or more and 7 or less, or may be -2 or more and 4 or less, or may be 0.0 to 2.0. Such a first design material is, for example, smoked charcoal.

[0019] The color tone of the second decorative material is not particularly limited, but may be L ＊ may be 40 or more and 75 or less, 45 or more and 70 or less, or 51.7 or more and 62.1 or less. ＊ may be -5 or more and 15 or less, may be -2 or more and 12 or less, or may be 1.7 or more and 7.8 or less. ＊ may be 0 or more and 40 or less, 10 or more and 30 or less, or 14.1 or more and 23.4 or less. Such a second decorative material is, for example, vermiculite.

[0020] The color tone of the colorant (color tone of the colorant alone) is not particularly limited, but may be L ＊may be 0 or more and 30 or less, 1 or more and 20 or less, or 1.5 or more and 13.5 or less. ＊ may be -10 or more and 15 or less, may be -5 or more and 10 or less, or may be 0.4 or more and 1.9 or less. ＊ may be -10 or more and 15 or less, -5 or more and 10 or less, or 0.7 or more and 1.9 or less. An example of such a coloring material is bamboo charcoal.

[0021] (Color difference between the substrate and the decorative material) The color difference between the substrate and the decorative material is expressed as L ＊ Difference in value ΔL ＊ , a ＊ Difference in value Δa ＊ , and b ＊ Difference in value Δb ＊ , and ΔL ＊ , Δa ＊ , and Δb ＊ ΔE calculated from ＊ When expressed as ab, ΔL ＊ is preferably more than 0 and 70 or less, and Δa ＊ is preferably greater than 0 and equal to or less than 20, and Δb ＊ is preferably greater than 0 and equal to or less than 45, and ΔE ＊ ab is preferably greater than 0 and equal to or less than 73.8.

[0022] When the decorative material includes a first decorative material and a second decorative material, the color difference between the base material and the first decorative material is ΔL ＊ is preferably greater than 0 and equal to or less than 70, more preferably equal to or greater than 5 and equal to or less than 55, and even more preferably equal to or greater than 20.1 and equal to or less than 42.1. ＊ is preferably greater than 0 and equal to or less than 10, more preferably greater than 0 and equal to or less than 6, and even more preferably equal to or greater than 0.2 and equal to or less than 1.7. ＊ is preferably greater than 0 and equal to or less than 15, more preferably greater than 0 and equal to or less than 9, and even more preferably equal to or greater than 0.1 and equal to or less than 4.0. ＊ab is preferably greater than 0 and equal to or less than 72.3, more preferably equal to or greater than 5 and equal to or less than 56.1, and even more preferably equal to or greater than 20.1 and equal to or less than 42.4. Such a first design material is, for example, smoked charcoal.

[0023] Similarly, the color difference between the base material and the second design material is ΔL ＊ is preferably greater than 0 and equal to or less than 55, more preferably equal to or greater than 0 and equal to or less than 40, and even more preferably greater than 0 and equal to or less than 23.4. ＊ is preferably greater than 0 and equal to or less than 20, more preferably greater than 0 and equal to or less than 15, and even more preferably equal to or greater than 1.3 and equal to or less than 7.7. ＊ is preferably greater than 0 and equal to or less than 45, more preferably equal to or greater than 3 and equal to or less than 33, and even more preferably equal to or greater than 10.1 and equal to or less than 21.3. ＊ ab is preferably greater than 0 and equal to or less than 73.8, more preferably equal to or greater than 3 and equal to or less than 54, and even more preferably equal to or greater than 10.2 and equal to or less than 32.6. An example of such a second decorative material is vermiculite.

[0024] <Particle size of each component in the ceramic material> In the ceramic material according to this embodiment, it is preferable that the particle size of the base material and the design material be different. This allows the design material exposed on the surface to preferably create a natural-looking design. The particle size is, for example, a particle size distribution, and may be an average particle size: median diameter (D50) or a mode diameter. The average particle size can be determined from a particle size distribution obtained by a laser diffraction / scattering method. The particle size of each component in the ceramic material can be determined by measuring the particle size of the base material and the design material exposed on the surface of the ceramic material. Commercially available devices can be used to measure particle size. For example, a particle size distribution meter (Partica LA-960V2, manufactured by Horiba, Ltd.) can be used to measure the particle size distribution of raw materials, and a microscope (digital microscope VHX-6000, manufactured by Keyence) can be used to measure the particle size exposed on the substrate surface. When measuring the particle size using a microscope, for example, three or more particles can be arbitrarily selected and the particle size can be calculated as the average value.

[0025] Unless otherwise specified, the particle sizes below refer to the median (D50) of the particle size distribution determined by a laser diffraction / scattering method. The particle size of the base material raw material is preferably 1 to 700 μm, more preferably 2 to 400 μm, and even more preferably 2.3 to 262.4 μm. The particle size of the cement used as the base material may be 2.3 to 29.9 μm. The particle size of the silica sand used as the base material may be 1.32 to 26.1 μm. The particle size of the mica used as the base material may be 5.12 to 262.4 μm.

[0026] The particle size of the design material is preferably 500 to 10,000 μm, more preferably 500 to 7,000 μm, and even more preferably 600 to 5,000 μm. The particle size of the smoked charcoal used as the design material may be 500 to 4,500 μm. The particle size of the vermiculite used as the design material may be 600 to 4,537.4 μm. The particle size of the coloring material is preferably 1 to 1,500 μm, and more preferably 1 to 1,000 μm. The particle size of the bamboo charcoal used as the coloring material may be 10 to 200 μm.

[0027] The particle size (μm) of the decorative material exposed on the substrate surface can be determined using a microscope as described above, and is preferably 500 to 10,000 μm, more preferably 500 to 7,000 μm, and even more preferably 600 to 5,000 μm.

[0028] The particle size difference (particle size of decorative material - particle size of substrate) (μm) between the decorative material and the substrate is preferably greater than 0 μm and not greater than 10,000 μm. The particle size difference is more preferably greater than 0 μm and not greater than 7,000 μm, and even more preferably greater than 0 μm and not greater than 4,537 μm.

[0029] The particle size difference (μm) between the design material and the colorant, i.e., the particle size difference between the design material and the colorant (particle size of the colorant - particle size of the design material), is preferably greater than 0 μm and not greater than 10,000 μm. The particle size difference is more preferably greater than 0 μm and not greater than 7,000 μm, and even more preferably greater than 0 μm and not greater than 4,537 μm.

[0030] The ceramic material according to this embodiment preferably contains a design material having an average particle size (D50) of 50 μm or more and a coloring material having an average particle size (D50) of 1 to 200 μm.

[0031] The standard deviation of the particle size of the decorative material is preferably 3 μm or more. The standard deviation of the particle size of the smoked charcoal used as the decorative material may be 1600 μm or less, 800 μm or less, or 370.0 to 728.9 μm. The standard deviation of the particle size of the vermiculite used as the decorative material may be 40 μm or less, 20 μm or less, or 3.7 to 124.9 μm. The standard deviation of the particle size of the bamboo charcoal used as the coloring material may be 1600 μm or less, 800 μm or less, or 364.8 to 894.7 μm.

[0032] <Content of each component in ceramic material> The content of the design material is preferably 1 to 50 mass% and the content of the coloring material is preferably 0 to 25 mass% based on the total solid weight of the ceramic material. When the design material includes a first design material and a second design material, the content of the first design material is preferably 1 to 25 mass%, more preferably 5 to 15 mass%, and even more preferably 7.5 to 12.7 mass%. Such a first design material is, for example, smoked charcoal. The content of the second design material is preferably 1 to 15 mass%, more preferably 2 to 9 mass%, and even more preferably 2.76 to 4.80 mass%. The content of bamboo charcoal as a coloring material is preferably 5 to 25 mass%, and more preferably 11.0 to 14.0 mass%.

[0033] The content ratio (mass ratio) of the coloring material to the design material is preferably 0 to 25. The content ratio of the bamboo charcoal as the coloring material to the smoked charcoal as the design material is preferably 0.04 to 25, more preferably 0.2 to 3.0, and even more preferably 0.87 to 1.86. The content ratio of the bamboo charcoal as the coloring material to the vermiculite as the design material is preferably 0.04 to 15, more preferably 1.0 to 10, and even more preferably 2.30 to 5.08.

[0034] The total content of the design material and coloring material is preferably 10% by mass or more. This allows the ceramic material to have a desirable design. From the viewpoint of maintaining the strength of the ceramic material, the total content of the design material and coloring material is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 44% by mass or less, and even more preferably 32% by mass or less. From the viewpoint of achieving both design and strength, the total content of the design material and coloring material is preferably 10 to 40% by mass, more preferably 10 to 27% by mass, and even more preferably 10 to 17.5% by mass.

[0035] <Bulk specific gravity of each component in the ceramic material> The bulk specific gravity of the design material is preferably 0.02 to 0.4, and the bulk specific gravity of the coloring material is preferably 0.3 to 0.8. This allows the design material to be exposed on the surface of the ceramic material simply by mixing it into the ceramic material, resulting in a ceramic material with a desirable design similar to that of natural materials. Furthermore, the specific gravity and porosity of the ceramic material can be adjusted within a suitable range. The bulk specific gravity of smoked charcoal as the design material is preferably 0.05 to 0.25, more preferably 0.08 to 0.13. The bulk specific gravity of vermiculite as the design material is preferably 0.05 to 0.25, more preferably 0.08 to 0.15. The bulk specific gravity of bamboo charcoal as the coloring material is preferably 0.35 to 0.7, more preferably 0.4 to 0.6.

[0036] <Strength of Ceramic Material> The ceramic material according to this embodiment preferably has a bending strength of 4 MPa or more, more preferably 5 MPa or more. The bending strength can be measured by a method in accordance with JIS A 5422 and JIS A 1408.

[0037] <Porosity of ceramic material> The ceramic material according to this embodiment preferably has a porosity of 40 to 65%. The porosity can be calculated by dividing the pore volume of the ceramic material by the bulk volume of the ceramic material. The pore volume can be measured using a commercially available device, such as a pore distribution measuring device (Pore Master 60-GT (manufactured by Anton Paar)). The porosity is more preferably 45 to 60%, and even more preferably 50 to 60%. By having the porosity in the above range, the specific gravity of the ceramic material can be adjusted to a suitable range and frost damage can be suppressed.

[0038] <Specific Gravity of Ceramic Material> The specific gravity of the ceramic material is preferably 0.80 to 1.10, more preferably 0.85 to 1.05, and even more preferably 0.90 to 1.00. The ceramic material according to this embodiment can have a lower specific gravity than conventional ceramic materials. This reduces transportation costs and improves workability.

[0039] By incorporating the above-mentioned design material into the ceramic material and setting the specific gravity of the ceramic material to 1.20 or less, a desirable deodorizing effect can be imparted to the ceramic material. The deodorizing effect can also be described as the effect of reducing the concentration of substances that cause malodors (malodor-causing substances). Examples of the malodor-causing substances include, but are not limited to, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, trimethylamine, methyl mercaptan, and acetic acid. It is more preferable that the specific gravity of the ceramic material be 0.89 or more and 1.05 or less.

[0040] The ceramic material according to the above embodiment defines its design through the color and shape of the decorative material itself. Therefore, a natural-looking design can be realized. Furthermore, because the decorative material is distributed almost uniformly within the ceramic material, cutting allows the design on the cut surface to be similar to the design on the other surfaces, making it easy to adjust to any shape. Furthermore, because carbonized materials are used as the decorative material, the ceramic material is not only cost-effective and environmentally friendly, but also easily cut and processed. Processing similar to that of wood can be performed, including riveting, mortising, tenoning, drilling, nailing, and screwing. Therefore, for example, shapes that were impossible with conventional ceramic materials can be realized, and shaping can be performed on-site. Furthermore, the maintenance described below can be easily performed at low cost. Furthermore, because the ceramic material according to this embodiment has a natural-looking design on its surface, dirt is less noticeable, reducing the frequency of maintenance.

[0041] <Ceramic material maintenance method> The ceramic material maintenance method according to this embodiment includes at least a polishing step of polishing the surface of the deteriorated ceramic material. The polishing step removes the deteriorated portion of the surface, revealing a new surface. The polishing method used in the polishing step is not particularly limited, and any known method can be used. Because the ceramic material according to this embodiment has decorative material uniformly distributed inside, the design of the new surface is substantially indistinguishable from the design of the ceramic material before deterioration. Therefore, according to the ceramic material maintenance method according to this embodiment, ceramic material can be maintained easily and at low cost.

[0042] The ceramic material according to this embodiment preferably does not have a coating film formed from a paint composition or other articles such as a sheet attached to the surface disposed on its surface. The absence of a coating film or the like on the surface of the ceramic material can improve the maintainability of the ceramic material. Conventional ceramic materials with a coating film or the like disposed on the surface required work such as repainting or replacement when stains, scratches, deterioration, etc. occurred on the surface. In contrast, the ceramic material according to this embodiment does not have a coating film or the like on its surface, and therefore can be easily maintained.

[0043] <Method for Manufacturing Ceramic Material> The method for manufacturing a ceramic material according to this embodiment is not particularly limited, but may include, for example, a slurry production step, a molding step, and a curing step of curing the molded raw material slurry, in this order.

[0044] (Slurry Production Process) The slurry production process is a process for producing a slurry containing the components constituting the base material and the design material. The slurry contains the components and design material, as well as water. The components contained in the slurry are the same as those exemplified in the description of the ceramic material, and may contain components other than those mentioned above. The slurry is produced, for example, by preparing a composition containing the components and design material, adding water to the composition, and kneading. Alternatively, the components constituting the slurry may be directly blended and kneaded. The kneading method in the slurry production process is not particularly limited, and known methods using a mixer or the like can be applied. In the slurry production process, the design material and colorant are dispersed approximately uniformly in the slurry.

[0045] The slurry used in the slurry production process preferably has a slump value of 9.0 to 16.0 cm, as measured in accordance with JIS A 1150. The slump value can be determined by measuring the diameter at which the slurry is expected to spread most and the diameter in the perpendicular direction after the slurry has stopped moving, and then averaging these values. This allows the decorative material to be suitably positioned on the surface of the hardened body (ceramic material) without any special processing, simply by mixing the decorative material into the slurry. The slump value is more preferably 10.0 to 15.0 cm, and even more preferably 11.0 to 14.0 cm.

[0046] (Forming step) The forming step is a step of forming the raw material slurry obtained in the slurry production step. The forming step is not particularly limited, and known methods such as extrusion molding, cast molding, paper molding, and press molding can be applied.

[0047] (Curing Process) The curing process is a process in which the raw material slurry formed in the molding process is cured and hardened to obtain a hardened body (ceramic building material). The curing process forms a hardened body with a surface appearance frequency of the design material of 1.0 to 30.6%. When the design materials include a first design material and a second design material, the surface appearance frequency of the first design material is preferably 1.7 to 20.3%, and more preferably 2.4 to 10.2%. The surface appearance frequency of the second design material is preferably 3.2 to 17.4%, and more preferably 4.5 to 8.7%. The curing process is not particularly limited other than the use of the raw material slurry, and the curing conditions (temperature, relative humidity, time, pressure, etc.) can be set as desired depending on the properties of the slurry.

[0048] The frequency of surface appearance of the above decorative materials can be calculated from the area occupancy rate of each decorative material relative to the area of ​​the ceramic material using automatic area measurement by image analysis using a digital microscope VHX-6000 (manufactured by Keyence).

[0049] The above is an example of a method for manufacturing a ceramic material according to the present embodiment, and other steps known in the art for manufacturing ceramic materials may be included as long as they do not impair the effects of the present disclosure. For example, the method may include a cutting step of cutting the hardened body that has undergone the curing step to a predetermined size. The cutting step may include a step of smoothing the cut surface by polishing or the like.

[0050] The method for manufacturing a ceramic material according to this embodiment preferably does not include a step of removing at least a portion of the surface layer of the hardened body that has undergone the curing step by surface processing such as blasting. Even without the step of removing at least a portion of the surface layer of the hardened body, the ceramic material according to this embodiment has a decorative material exposed on the surface of the hardened body, forming a hardened body with a surface appearance frequency of the decorative material of 1.0 to 30.6%. Therefore, the ceramic material according to this embodiment can achieve desirable design properties similar to those of natural materials. Therefore, by not including the removal step in the manufacturing method, the manufacturing process can be simplified, and the manufacturing costs of the ceramic material can be reduced.

[0051] The ceramic material according to the embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified as appropriate.

[0052] The present disclosure will be described in more detail below based on examples, but the present disclosure is not limited to the following examples.

[0053] [Preparation of Composition and Raw Material Slurry] The compositions according to each Example were prepared in the amounts shown in the following tables. Unless otherwise specified in the tables, the compositions were prepared with 15% solids mass ratio of smoked charcoal as a design material, 5% solids mass ratio of vermiculite as a design material, and 15% solids mass ratio of bamboo charcoal as a colorant. Other components constituting the base material included ordinary Portland cement, silica sand, mica, pulp, and a water repellent. Water was then added and kneaded to obtain the raw material slurry according to each Example. Note that the percentage of addition in the following tables refers to the solids mass ratio (%) of the ceramic material, unless otherwise specified.

[0054] [Curing] The raw material slurry prepared above was poured into a mold to form it, and if necessary, steam curing or high-temperature, high-pressure curing was carried out to obtain a hardened body according to each example.

[0055] [Color Tone of Design Material and Colorant] As shown in Tables 1 to 6 below, the color tone of the design material and colorant in the ceramic material according to each example, the color tone difference between the design material and the base material, the color tone difference between the design material and the colorant, and the color tone difference between the first design material and the second design material were measured, and the design of the ceramic material was evaluated. The color tone was measured using a color difference meter CR-400 (manufactured by Konica Minolta, Inc., attachment diameter 10 mm, mode: L ＊ a ＊ b ＊ ) and measurements were taken with N=3. In the table below, the design evaluation is ranked A, B, and C in that order. The design evaluation "the design materials look similar" in Table 1 means that the color of the first design material and the color of the second design material look similar, or the color of the second design material and the color of the first design material look similar, resulting in a design that is different from the intended design.

[0056]

[0057]

[0058] In Tables 1 and 2, the color tone (L ＊ ) were used.

[0059]

[0060]

[0061]

[0062] [Particle size of design material and coloring material] As shown in Tables 6 to 8 below, the maximum particle size of the design material and coloring material in each example ceramic material was measured, and the ceramic material's design was evaluated. A particle size distribution analyzer (Partica LA-960V2, manufactured by Horiba, Ltd.) was used for the measurements. The real term for vermiculite was 1.62, and the imaginary term was 0; the real term for charcoal was 1.92, and the imaginary term was 0.522; and the real term for bamboo charcoal was 1.92, and the imaginary term was 0.522. The transmittance was 70 to 90%. The maximum particle size difference between the design material and the coloring material was changed as shown in Tables 9 and 10 below, and the ceramic material's design was evaluated in the same manner. The results are shown in Tables 6 to 10. The design evaluation "design material is not noticeable" below means that the color of the design material is not noticeable against the base color. "Only the decorative material stands out" means that the color of the decorative material stands out too much against the base color.

[0063]

[0064]

[0065]

[0066]

[0067]

[0068] As shown in Tables 11 to 17 below, the average particle size (D50) of the design material and colorant in the ceramic materials according to each Example and Reference Example was measured, and the design of the ceramic materials was evaluated in the same manner as in Tables 6 to 10. A particle size distribution meter (Partica LA-960V2, manufactured by Horiba, Ltd.) was used for the measurements.

[0069]

[0070]

[0071]

[0072]

[0073]

[0074]

[0075]

[0076] [Contents of design material and coloring material] The contents of the design material and coloring material were changed as shown in Tables 18 to 20 below, and the design of the ceramic materials was evaluated. In addition, the content ratio of coloring material to the design material was changed as shown in Tables 21 and 22 below, and the design of the ceramic materials was evaluated in the same manner.

[0077]

[0078]

[0079]

[0080]

[0081]

[0082] [Bulk specific gravity of design materials and coloring materials] The bulk specific gravity of the design materials and coloring materials was changed as shown in Tables 23 to 25 below, and the design of the ceramic materials was evaluated. In addition, the difference in bulk specific gravity between the design material and coloring material, and the difference in bulk specific gravity between two types of design materials were changed as shown in Tables 26 to 28 below, and the design of the ceramic materials was evaluated in the same manner.

[0083]

[0084]

[0085]

[0086]

[0087]

[0088]

[0089] [Standard deviation of grain size of design material] The standard deviation of grain size of the design material was changed as shown in Tables 29 to 30, and the design of the ceramic material was evaluated. The grain size was measured in the same way as in Tables 6 to 10.

[0090]

[0091]

[0092] [Porosity of ceramic material] The porosity of the ceramic material was changed as shown in Table 31 below, and bending stress (MPa) was measured and design evaluation was performed. The porosity was calculated by dividing the pore volume by the bulk volume of the ceramic material, and the pore volume was measured using a pore distribution measuring device (Pore Master 60-GT (manufactured by Anton Paar)). The bending stress (MPa) was measured using a Technograph TG-10kN (manufactured by MinebeaMitsumi). The results are shown in Table 31.

[0093]

[0094] [Water repellent content] The content of the silane-based water repellent used as the water repellent was changed as shown in Table 26. The frost expansion coefficient was measured and the design was evaluated after the frost damage test. The frost expansion coefficient was measured by carrying out a freeze-thaw cycle test in accordance with ASTM C666-A.

[0095]

[0096] [Relationship between the content of coloring material and design material and the bulk density, bending stress, and design evaluation of ceramic materials] The content of coloring material and design material was changed as shown in Table 33 below, and the bulk density and bending stress of the ceramic materials were measured and the design was evaluated. The bulk density of the ceramic materials was measured using the Archimedes method. The bending stress was measured using the same method as in Table 31.

[0097]

[0098] [Measurement of Slump Value] The contents of coloring material and design material and the slump value of the slurry were changed as shown in Table 34 below, and design evaluation was performed. The slump value of the slurry was measured in accordance with JIS A 1150. The slump value was calculated by measuring the diameter at which the slurry seemed to spread most and the diameter in the direction perpendicular to that using a vernier caliper or convex, after the slurry had stopped moving, and then averaging these values. The results are shown in Table 34.

[0099]

[0100] [Surface appearance frequency of decorative materials] As shown in Table 35 below, the surface appearance frequency of the decorative materials in the ceramic materials of each example was calculated using a digital microscope VHX-6000 (manufactured by Keyence) by automatic area measurement through image analysis, and the area occupancy rate of each decorative material relative to the area of ​​the ceramic material was calculated, and the design of the ceramic materials was evaluated.

[0101]

[0102] [Evaluation of Deodorizing Effect] A 30 mm square ceramic material was placed in a gas bag with 3 L of a specified concentration of gas (malodor-causing substance). The gas concentration was measured after 120 minutes and 300 minutes, and the reduction rate of the gas concentration was calculated. A gas detector tube was used to measure the gas concentration. The test levels were a blank sample containing only gas in the gas bag, and samples with and without decorative material. For Tables 37 and 38, the specific gravity of the substrate was changed in samples with decorative material, and the gas concentration was measured in the same way, and the reduction rate was calculated. The results are shown in Tables 36 to 38. The evaluation criteria for Tables 36 to 38 are: A: 80% or more; B: 70% or more but less than 80%; and C: less than 70%.

[0103]

[0104]

[0105]

[0106] Preferred aspects of the present disclosure are described below.

[0107] [1] A ceramic material comprising a substrate and a decorative material, wherein at least a portion of the decorative material is exposed on the surface and has a particle size and / or a color tone different from that of the substrate.

[0108] [2] The ceramic material according to [1], wherein the decorative materials include a first decorative material and a second decorative material, and further include a coloring material, wherein the difference between the bulk specific gravity of the first decorative material and the bulk specific gravity of the coloring material is 0.35 to 0.54, the difference between the bulk specific gravity of the second decorative material and the bulk specific gravity of the coloring material is 0.33 to 0.54, and the difference between the bulk specific gravity of the second decorative material and the bulk specific gravity of the first decorative material is 0 to 0.2.

[0109] [3] The ceramic material according to [1] or [2], further comprising a coloring material, and comprising three or more kinds of the design material and the coloring material.

[0110] [4] The ceramic material described in any of [1] to [3], wherein the decorative materials include a first decorative material and a second decorative material, and further include a coloring material, wherein the difference between the average particle diameter (D50) of the first decorative material and the average particle diameter (D50) of the coloring material is 10,000 μm or less, and the difference between the average particle diameter (D50) of the second decorative material and the average particle diameter (D50) of the coloring material is 10,000 μm or less.

Claims

1. A ceramic material comprising a base material and a decorative material, at least a part of the decorative material being exposed on the surface, the base material and the decorative material having different particle sizes and / or color tones.

2. A ceramic material comprising a base material, a decorative material, and a coloring material, at least a part of the decorative material being exposed on the surface, the base material and the decorative material having different particle sizes and / or color tones, the bulk specific gravity of the decorative material being 0.02 to 0.4, and the bulk specific gravity of the coloring material being 0.3 to 0.

8.

3. The design material has a different color tone from the base material at least, and the color tone difference between the base material and the design material is L ＊ a ＊ b ＊ the chromaticity (L ＊ , a ＊ , b ＊ ) of the base material and the design material according to the L ＊ value difference ΔL ＊ , a ＊ value difference Δa ＊ , and b ＊ value difference Δb ＊ , and ΔL ＊ , Δa ＊ , and Δb ＊ When represented by ΔE ＊ ab calculated from, ΔL ＊ is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 70, Δa ＊ is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 20, Δb ＊ is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 45, ΔE ＊ ab is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 73.

8. The ceramic material according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The ceramic material according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the decorative material has at least a different particle size from the base material, and the particle size difference (decorative material average particle size (D50) - base material average particle size (D50)) (μm), which is the difference in the average particle size (D50) between the decorative material and the base material, is more than 0 μm and 10,000 μm or less.

5. The ceramic material according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the decorative material has at least a different particle size from the base material, and the standard deviation of the particle size of the decorative material is 3 μm or more.

6. The ceramic material according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising the decorative material having an average particle size (D50) of 50 μm or more and a coloring material having an average particle size (D50) of 1 to 200 μm.

7. The ceramic material according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the particle size of the decorative material exposed on the surface of the base material is 500 to 10,000 μm.

8. The ceramic material according to claim 6, wherein the content ratio (mass ratio) of the coloring material to the decorative material is 0.025 to 25.

9. The ceramic material according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a water repellent, the ratio of the water repellent in the ceramic material being 0.01 to 5% by mass in terms of solid content mass ratio.

10. The ceramic material according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the decorative material includes a waste material or a carbonized material obtained by carbonizing a biomass material.

11. The ceramic material according to any one of claims 1 to 10, having a porosity of 40 to 65%.

12. The ceramic material according to any one of claims 1 to 11, having no coating film on the surface.

13. The ceramic material according to any one of claims 1 to 12, having a specific gravity of 0.80 to 1.

10.

14. The ceramic material according to claim 6, wherein the particle size difference (decorative material particle size average particle size (D50) - coloring material particle size average particle size (D50)) (μm), which is the difference in the average particle size (D50) between the decorative material and the coloring material, is more than 0 μm and 10,000 μm or less.

15. The content of the decorative material in the ceramic material is 1 to 40% by mass, and the content of the coloring material in the ceramic material is 1 to 25% by mass. The ceramic material according to claim 6.

16. The decorative material includes a first decorative material and a second decorative material. The content of the first decorative material in the ceramic material is 1 to 25% by mass, and the content of the second decorative material in the ceramic material is 1 to 15% by mass. The ceramic material according to claim 15.

17. When the color tones of the design material and the coloring material are represented by chromaticity (L ＊ a ＊ b ＊ ) in the L ＊ , a ＊ , b ＊ ) color system, L of the design material ＊ is 5 or more and 75 or less, a of the design material ＊ is -5 or more and 15 or less, b of the design material ＊ is -5 or more and 40 or less, L of the coloring material ＊ is 0 or more and 30 or less, a of the coloring material ＊ is -10 or more and 15 or less, b of the coloring material ＊ is -10 or more and 15 or less. The ceramic material according to claim 6 18. The design material includes a first design material and a second design material, and when their color tones are represented by chromaticity (L, a, b) in the L*a*b* color system, the L of the first design material is 5 or more and 35 or less, the a of the first design material is -5 or more and 5 or less, the b of the first design material is -5 or more and 7 or less, the L of the second design material is 40 or more and 75 or less, the a of the second design material is -5 or more and 15 or less, and the b of the second design material is 0 or more and 40 or less. The ceramic material according to claim 17. ＊ a ＊ b ＊ The chromaticity (L, a, b) in the L*a*b* color system, when the L of the first design material is 5 or more and 35 or less, the a of the first design material is -5 or more and 5 or less, the b of the first design material is -5 or more and 7 or less, the L of the second design material is 40 or more and 75 or less, the a of the second design material is -5 or more and 15 or less, and the b of the second design material is 0 or more and 40 or less. The ceramic material according to claim 17. ＊ , a ＊ , b ＊ ), when the L of the first design material is 5 or more and 35 or less, the a of the first design material is -5 or more and 5 or less, the b of the first design material is -5 or more and 7 or less, the L of the second design material is 40 or more and 75 or less, the a of the second design material is -5 or more and 15 or less, and the b of the second design material is 0 or more and 40 or less. The ceramic material according to claim 17. ＊ is 5 or more and 35 or less, the a of the first design material is -5 or more and 5 or less, the b of the first design material is -5 or more and 7 or less, the L of the second design material is 40 or more and 75 or less, the a of the second design material is -5 or more and 15 or less, and the b of the second design material is 0 or more and 40 or less. The ceramic material according to claim 17. ＊ is -5 or more and 5 or less, the b of the first design material is -5 or more and 7 or less, the L of the second design material is 40 or more and 75 or less, the a of the second design material is -5 or more and 15 or less, and the b of the second design material is 0 or more and 40 or less. The ceramic material according to claim 17. ＊ is -5 or more and 7 or less, the L of the second design material is 40 or more and 75 or less, the a of the second design material is -5 or more and 15 or less, and the b of the second design material is 0 or more and 40 or less. The ceramic material according to claim 17. ＊ is 40 or more and 75 or less, the a of the second design material is -5 or more and 15 or less, and the b of the second design material is 0 or more and 40 or less. The ceramic material according to claim 17. ＊ is -5 or more and 15 or less, the b of the second design material is 0 or more and 40 or less. The ceramic material according to claim 17. ＊ is 0 or more and 40 or less. The ceramic material according to claim 17.

19. The total content of the coloring material and the decorative material in the ceramic material is 10% by mass or more. The ceramic material according to claim 6.

20. The total content of the coloring material and the decorative material is 10% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, and the flexural stress of the ceramic material is 5 MPa or more. The ceramic material according to claim 19.

21. A method for manufacturing a ceramic material according to any one of claims 1 to 20, comprising a slurry manufacturing step of manufacturing a slurry containing components constituting the base material and the decorative material, a molding step of molding the slurry, and a curing step of curing the slurry molded by the molding step by curing. The method does not include a step of removing at least a part of the surface layer of the cured body that has undergone the curing step. A method for manufacturing a ceramic material.

22. A method for manufacturing a ceramic material according to any one of claims 1 to 20, comprising a slurry manufacturing step of manufacturing a slurry containing components constituting the base material and the decorative material, a molding step of molding the slurry, and a curing step of curing the slurry molded by the molding step to form a cured body having a surface appearance frequency of the decorative material of 1.0 to 30.6%. A method for manufacturing a ceramic material.

23. The slurry has a slump value measured in accordance with JIS A 1150 of 9.0 to 16.0 cm. The method for manufacturing a ceramic material according to claim 21 or 22.

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