This study focuses on the characterization, thermal behaviour and firing properties of clays from Cap Bon Basin, Tunisia. Chemical (inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy) and mineralogical (X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy) characterization of the clays was carried out. Physical properties were identified using particle-size distribution and Atterberg limits tests. Differential thermal analysis/thermogravimetry, dilatometry, XRD and FTIR analyses were conducted to assess the thermal behaviour, transformations and crystalline phase development during firing. The clays studied show large proportions of silt and clay fractions. They are rich in SiO2, Al2O3 and Fe2O3 and mostly consist of illite, kaolinite, smectite and minor mixed-layer illite-smectite. Associated minerals are mainly quartz, calcite and feldspar. To monitor the firing properties, three clay mixtures referred to as M1, M2 and M3 were prepared according to the physicochemical and mineralogical characteristics of the raw clays. These were sintered at 900°C, 1000°C and 1100°C and tested for firing shrinkage, flexural strength and water absorption. As a result, various mineralogical transformations occurred at 900–1100°C associated with the crystallization of new phases. The main transformations identified at >1000°C resulted in the formation of anorthite and mullite, causing significant densification of the fired ceramic materials. Sintering at 1100°C increased the densification and thus improved the flexural strength. At this temperature, the sintered ceramic tiles exhibited excellent properties, namely water absorption of 2–3% and flexural strength of 30–41 MPa, indicating that these studied clays might be used as raw materials for the production of stoneware tile ceramics.

In this contribution, a new raw material, Uşak clay (Usc), was investigated in order to assess its potential for the ceramic industry by comparing it with a world reference ceramic material, a Ukrainian clay (Ukc). Mineralogical characterization (X-ray diffraction [XRD], scanning electron microscopy [SEM] and Fourier-transform infrared [FTIR] spectroscopy), quantitative chemical analysis (X-ray fluorescence [XRF]) and the thermal properties of Ukc and Usc samples were investigated. Additionally, Atterberg limits, particle-size distribution and cation exchange capacity of both samples were determined. Various technological properties of Ukc and Usc were determined in the temperature range 800–1430°C. The bending and compressive strengths, total linear shrinkage, colour, water absorption and unit-volume mass values were measured. The findings from these analyses show that kaolinite-dominated Ukc and quartz-dominated Usc samples differ from each other not only mineralogically, but also in terms of their chemical, physical and technological properties. The firing colour of Usc was determined as 84% white, and so this can be considered as a light firing clay. In addition, due to its low plasticity, Usc may be utilized to reduce both the plasticity of the ceramic materials and the viscosity in slip-casting applied ceramics. Furthermore, the melting temperature of 1300°C suggests that Usc cannot be classified as refractory. However, this property does suggest an economic value for Usc in terms of developing technological characteristics at lower firing temperatures.

Chernikovite, (H3O)2(UO2)2(PO4)2, was synthesized and subsequently transformed into metauranocircite II, Ba(UO2)2(PO4)2.6H2O, by ion-exchange experiments. The crystals are lemon-yellow and strongly fluorescent. From solubility data a mean pKs value at 25°C was determined as 51.79 ± 0.21. For a cell volume of 16.31.7 Å3 and Z = 4 the density was calculated as 3.970 g/cm3 whereas the measured density is 3.964 g/cm 3. The X-ray powder pattern shows the following strongest lines: 3.609(60)(114), 3.470(60)(123), 2.9272(90)(132)2.9006(90)(312), 2.6065(80)(116), 2.4581(75)(233), 2.2015(100)(143 ; 143), 2.1869(100) (241 ; 226 ;241).

The high-temperature (HT) behaviour of kyanite (Al2SiO5) was investigated by in situ neutron powder diffraction up to 1200°C. Within the investigated T range, no phase transition was observed. The axial and volume thermal expansion coefficient (αj = lj-1(𝜕1j/𝜕T), αv = V-1 (𝜕V/𝜕T)), calculated by weighted linear regression through the data points, are: αa = 5.5(2) x 10-5, αb= 5.9(2) x 10-5, αc = 5.18(8) xl0-5, αv = 7.4(1) x 10-3 “C-1, with αa:αb:αc = 1.06:1.14:1. All three angles of the kyanite lattice show a slight decrease with T, with 𝜕α/𝜕T = -2(2) x 10-5, 𝜕β/𝜕T = -4(1) x 10-5, 𝜕γ/𝜕T = –10(2) x 10-5%C. The magnitudes of the principal Lagrangian unit-strain coefficients (ε1,ε2, ε3) and the orientations of the thermal strain-ellipsoids, between the ambient temperature and each measured T, were calculated. The magnitude and the orientation of all the three unit-strain coefficients are almost maintained constant with T. At T-To = 1177°C , ε^a = 76(2)°, ε^b = 70(2)°, ε^c = 38(3)°, ε2^a = 49(3)°, ε2^b = 66(3)°, ε2^c = 127(4)°, ε3^a = 135(3)°, ε3^b = 31(3)°, ε3^c = 91(2)° with ε1:ε2:ε3 = 1.57:1.29:1. The structural refinements, performed at 23, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 900, 950, 1050 and 1200°C allowed the description of the structural evolution and the main T-induced deformation mechanisms, which are mainly represented by the polyhedral distortions of the AlO6 octahedra.

The present work analyses the thermal behaviour of alum-(K), KAl(SO4)2·12H2O, by in situ laboratory high-temperature powder X-ray diffraction data from 303 K to melting, which starts at 355 K and is completed, due to kinetics, at 359 K. The calculated a0 linear thermal expansion coefficient is of 14.68(11) × 10–6 K–1 within the investigated thermal range. The k disorder parameter, describing the extension of the orientational disorder of the sulfate group, has been found to decrease from ∼0.70 to ∼0.65 just before melting. It has been demonstrated that the occurrence of the disorder implies the coexistence of K+ ions in both six- and seven-fold coordination. This is necessary for assigning a reasonable bond-valence sum of 0.81 valence units (vu) to the 'average' K+ ion a instead of 0.66 vu, which is obtained in the case of six-fold coordination alone. We can describe the temperature dependence of k from 93–355 K by means of the empirical equation k = 0.798(12) + 2.5(11) × 10–4 T – 1.9(2) × 10–6T2, which includes reference low-temperature data. Bond-valence analysis has shown that, on cooling, an increase of the k disorder parameter and shortening of the K–O2 bond distance act together to maintain constancy in the bond-valence sum at the K site, stabilizing the structure. Therefore, the need for keeping the 'average' K+ ion at a reasonable bond-valence sum appears to be the driving force for the ordering process involving the sulfate group.

Specific thermoreceptors or putative multimodal thermoreceptors are not known in Crustacea. However, behavioural studies on thermal avoidance and preference and on the effects of temperature on motor activity indicate that the thermosensitivity of crustaceans may be in the range 0.2–2 °C. Work on planktonic crustaceans suggests that they respond particularly to changes in temperature by klinokinesis and orthokinesis. The thermal behaviour of crustaceans is modified by thermal acclimation among other factors. The acclimation of the critical maximum temperature is an example of resistance acclimation, while the acclimation of preference behaviour may be classified as capacity acclimation of some other function. In crustaceans, the use of the concepts stenothermy and eurythermy at the species level is questionable, and it is not possible to divide crustacean species into thermal guilds as suggested for fishes. Thermal preference behaviour contributes to fitness in different ways in different species, often by maximising the aerobic metabolic scope for activity. In crustaceans the peripheral nervous system seems to have retained the capacity for thermosensitivity and thermal acclimation independently of the central nervous system control of behaviour.