Project Description

Technological tests

Contact person: Pietro Bruzzi – bruzzi@centroceramico.it – Mobile +39 340 6885491

  • Resistance of glaze to acid – UNI 4543
  • Resistance of glaze to alkali – UNI 4543
  • Resistance of glaze to detergents – UNI 4543
  • Resistance of glaze to staining – UNI 4543
  • Resistance of glaze to water and vapour – UNI 4543
  • Resistance of glaze to abrasion – UNI 4543
  • Resistance of glaze and ceramic body to thermal shock – UNI 4543
  • Water absorption of the ceramic body – UNI 4543
  • Modulus of rupture – UNI 4543
  • Impact resistance – UNI 4543
  • Water absorption AS 1976-1992 – app. A
  • Crazing resistance AS 1976-1992 – app. B
  • Chemical resistance AS 1976-1992 – app. C
  • Safety load test AS 1172-1 app. G
  • Full flush paper discharge test AS 1172-1 – app. A
  • Reduced flush paper discharge test AS 1172-1 – app. B
  • Solid discharge test AS 1172-1 – app. C
  • Wetting test AS 1172-1 – app. F
  • Splash test AS 1172-1 – app. E
  • Reduced flush liquid contaminant test AS 1172-1 – app. H
  • Reduced flush liquid contaminant test AS 1172-1 – app. D
  • Chemical resistance SASO 1024/1998-5
  • Resistance to staining and burning SASO 1024/1998-6
  • Resistance to abrasion SASO 1024/1998-7
  • Water absorption SASO 1024/1998-3
  • Visual examination SASO 1024/1998-2
  • Crazing resistance SASO 1024/1998-4
  • Thickness SASO 1024/1998-9
  • Warpage SASO 1024/1998-8
  • Dimensions and tolerances SASO 1024/1998-9
  • Visual examination BS 3402:1969 (2004)
  • Water absorption BS 3402:1969 (2004)
  • Chemical resistance BS 3402:1969 (2004)
  • Resistance to staining and burning BS 3402:1969 (2004)
  • Crazing resistance BS 3402:1969 (2004)
  • Dimensions and tolerances BS 1188:1974

Bath tubs

  • Connecting dimensions UNI EN 31

Shower trays

  • Connecting dimensions UNI EN 251
  • Appearance of surface EN 14527
  • Drainage of water EN 14527
  • Load stability EN 14527
  • Chemical and staining resistance UNI EN 14527
  • Thermal stability UNI EN 263
  • Resistance to wet and dry cycles UNI EN 263
  • Verification of crosslinking UNI EN 263
  • Water absorption UNI EN 263
  • Chemical and staining resistance UNI EN 263

Sinks

  • Connecting dimensions UNI EN 695
  • Drainage of water UNI EN 13310
  • Resistance to dry heat UNI EN 13310
  • Resistance against chemicals and staining agents UNI EN 13310
  • Resistance to scratching UNI EN 13310
  • Load resistance UNI EN 13310
  • Flow rate of overflow UNI EN 13310

Urinals

  • Connecting dimensions UNI EN 80

Vitreous china bidets

  • Connecting dimensions UNI EN 35:2001-36
  • Cleanability UNI EN 14528
  • Static load UNI EN 14528
  • Flow rate of overflow UNI EN 14528

Washbasins

  • Connecting dimensions EN 31
  • Drainage of water UNI EN 14688
  • Flow rate of overflow UNI EN 14688
  • Load test UNI EN 14688
  • Cleanability UNI EN 14688
  • Chemical and staining resistance UNI EN 14688
  • Resistance to changes of temperature UNI EN 14688 – 1000 cycles

Washstands

  • Connecting dimensions UNI EN 31

Water closets – Class 1

  • Connecting dimensions UNI EN 33
  • Flushing of toilet paper UNI EN 997
  • 50 plastic balls discharge UNI EN 997
  • Wash of bowl UNI EN 997
  • Depth of water seal UNI EN 997
  • Over-splashing test UNI EN 997
  • Static load UNI EN 997
  • After-flush volume test UNI EN 997
  • Water absorption UNI EN 997
  • Seal UNI EN 997

Water closets – Class 2

  • Connecting dimensions UNI EN 33
  • Flow rate UNI EN 997
  • Solid discharge and after flush volume for the maximum-flush UNI EN 997
  • Paper discharge for the reduced-flush volume UNI EN 997
  • Liquid contaminant dye retention UNI EN 997
  • Wash of bowl UNI EN 997
  • Static load UNI EN 997
  • Water absorption UNI EN 997
  • Depth of water seal UNI EN 997

Chemical analysis

Contact person: Andrea Bernasconi – bernasconi@centroceramico.it – Mobile: +39 345 8410333

Chemical analysis by ICP-OES EN ISO 21587-1 and EN ISO 21587-3

  • Glazes and equivalent (8 determinations)

Surface texture characterisation; colour measurements, gloss

Contact person: Barbara Mazzanti – mazzanti@centroceramico.it – Mobile: +39 340 9631182

Colour and reflectance measurements

  • Colour coordinates
  • Brilliance measurement (GLOSS)

Surface roughness and texture

  • Surface roughness measurement; determination of the parameters EN ISO 4287
  • 3D surface profile and/or imaging
  • Surface mapping
  • Data processing and 3D images of the surface

Mineralogical and microstructural characterisation, functional performance (photocatalysis, antibacterial, …)

Contact persons:

XRD analysis

  • XRD analysis (with or without interpretation)
  • Quantitative XRD

Microscopic analysis

  • SEM observation
  • EDS Microanalysis
  • Stereomicroscope observation
  • Optical microscope observation
  • Images
  • Quantitative microscopic analysis (porosity and pore/grain size distribution, etc.

Firing behaviour

  • Pyroplastic deformation

Photocatalysis and resistance to mould, bacteria; cleanability and durability

  • Photocatalysis tests (internal protocol, ISO 10678, ISO 22197, …)
  • Antibacterial tests for photocatalytic surfaces (internal protocol, ISO 27447, …) and non-photocatalytic surfaces (internal protocol, ISO 22196, …)
  • Determination of the resistance to mould colonisation for photocatalytic and non-catalytic surfaces (internal protocol, BS 5980)
  • Durability tests for surface treatments/finishes/functionalisation
  • Cleanability tests for photocatalitic or non-photocatalytic surfaces for internal or external environments (internal protocol, ISO 27448)

Thermal analysis, wettability, density

Contact person: Giovanni Ridolfi – ridolfi@centroceramico.it – Mobile: +39 345 9317030

Thermal analysis

  • Heating microscope

Determination of contact angle

Density

  • Determination of the density by helium pycnometer

Dilatometry

  • Thermo dilatometric analysis (green), heating up to 1000 °C and cooling
  • Thermo dilatometric analysis (green), heating up to 1200 °C and cooling
  • Thermo dilatometric analysis (green), heating up to 1500 °C
  • Thermo dilatometric analysis (green), heating up to 1200 °C and cooling
  • Coefficient of linear thermal expansion up to 400 °C
  • Thermo dilatometric analysis on glaze
  • Thermo dilatometric analysis (fired) and coefficient of linear thermal expansion, heating up to 1000 °C, max
  • Coefficient of linear thermal expansion ASTM E 831

Mercury porosimetry

Mechanical characterisation

Contact person: Barbara Mazzanti – mazzanti@centroceramico.it – Mobile: +39 340 9631182

Fractographic analysis

Hardness

  • Vickers indentation
  • Hardness curve applying different loads

Bending strength

  • Bending strength and elastic modulus (fired specimens)
  • Bending strength and elastic modulus (green specimens)
  • Bending strength of 30 specimens with Weibull statistics