KARAKTERISASI PASIR SILIKA CIBADAK SUKABUMI SEBAGAI BAHAN BAKU PEMBUATAN RAMMING MIX SILICA[Characterization of Cibadak Sukabumi Silica Sand As Raw Material for Ramming Mix Silica Manufacturing]

Abstract

A research for production ramming mix silica (RMS) with local raw materials has been done. The mentioned raw materials are silica sand derived from waste of gongsol rocks which there are many in Cibadak area, Sukabumi, West Java. This study aims to utilize the waste of Gongsol rocks into a monolithic refractory product as ramming mix shaped in economic value. All the times, monolithic refractory product especially RMS is still imported from overseas such as Japan, Germany and China. Ramming mix silica has been commonly use as a coating in the inner wall of induction furnace, and mostly done by metal smelting industry. This is because that acid process occurred in the induction furnace, while silica it self is acidic. If alkali material was selected, it would cause erosion of the inner wall surface at the smelting furnace, and the ramming mix would become thin. If it happened, it would cause furnace explosion because melting metal hit the coil. RMS is done by mixing silica sand with boric acid chemical binders and adhesives CMC, later print at a certain pressure and firing after dried. The production of ramming mix silica from Cibadak resulted in the best condition i.e. composition B with chemical bonding agent 2%, 3%, and 4% of boric acid and adhesive agent of CMC 5% from composition weight. Composition B was composition of silica sand granule consisted of 35% weight coarse fraction (2.362 – 0.417) mm, 25% weight medium fraction (0.417 – 0.208) mm, and 40% weight fine fraction (< 0.208) mm.