@article{article_1801336, title={Investigation of the effects of precision-casting waste sands on the thermal shock resistance properties of fire clay refractory materials}, journal={Pamukkale Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi}, volume={31}, pages={734–743}, year={2025}, author={Bostancı, Veysel Murat and Bahtlı, Tuba}, keywords={Termal şok, atık, Mekanik özellikler, Refrakter, Hassas döküm, Şamot}, abstract={Precision-casting is a casting process that minimizes porosity and has the power to produce exact shapes and sizes of parts. In the metal part production sector, precision-casting is the closest casting form to the final version of the part. Using single-use aluminosilicate molds in casting operations causes a storage problem after precision-casting, which adds to the expanding waste problem. Moreover, the disposal of this waste without recycling poses environmental concerns. Interestingly, the waste contains zircon minerals, which are well-known for improving refractories’ mechanical, thermal, and corrosion-resistant qualities. The aim of this study is to produce fireclay refractory bricks that have decreased manufacturing costs, increased mechanical and thermal properties, and are improved by the addition of precision-casting sand. Density and open porosity were determined using the Archimedes principle. Cold crushing strength was tested according to ASTM-C133, and three-point bending tests were performed according to ASTM-C1161-90 standards. For thermal shock resistance, samples were heated to 1000 °C for 30 minutes and then quenched in water. Finally, microstructure analyses were conducted using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Compared to the additive-free fireclay refractory, samples containing X2, Y2, and Z1 precision-casting waste sand (PCWS) showed increases in 3-point bending strength by 27%, 10%, and 5%, respectively, after undergoing thermal shock testing. Similarly, with the addition of PCWS, X2 and Y2 samples exhibited increases of 17% and 33% in cold crushing strength (CCS) values}, number={5}, publisher={Pamukkale Üniversitesi}