The desalination of consolidated ceramics

A calcareous and non-calcareous ceramic fired at 900 degrees Celsius was impregnated with NaCl and subsequently consolidated with one ot three compounds: Paraloid B72, Tertraethyl Orthosilicate (TEOS), Methyl Triethoxysilane (MTS). The desalination methods of static immersion and stirred solution were tested. The effect of consolidation on the rate and extent of salt release was monitored by ionic conductivity, neutron activation analysis (NAA), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and ion chromatography (IC). Each of the consolidations allowed the release of NaCl; the rate of salt release was influenced mainly by the porosity of the ceramic.