Mechanical and Thermal Characterization of Catalytic Converter Honeycombs Fabricated from Mfensi Clay-Based Composites

Asare Boakye Ansah; Nkrumah Isaac; Kwakye-Awuah Bright; Micheal Kweku Edem Donkor; Emmanuel Adu; Fred Joseph Komla Adzabe; Emmanuel Junior Budukumah; Obed Issakah

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i03.77001

Mechanical and Thermal Characterization of Catalytic Converter Honeycombs Fabricated from Mfensi Clay-Based Composites

Author(s)	Mr. Asare Boakye Ansah, Prof. Nkrumah Isaac, Prof. Kwakye-Awuah Bright, Dr. Micheal Kweku Edem Donkor, Dr. Emmanuel Adu, Mr. Fred Joseph Komla Adzabe, Mr. Emmanuel Junior Budukumah, Mr. Obed Issakah
Country	Ghana
Abstract	The study investigated the mechanical and thermal properties of catalytic honeycomb constructed from locally sourced Mfensi clay which was blended with silica, feldspar and Kaolin. Feldspar, primarily made up of K-Feldspar and Gordonite, provides crucial mechanical strength and thermal stability, according to morphological and chemical characterization such as XRD studies. At high temperatures, Mfensi clay's substantial quartz component improves its refractoriness and structural stability. The presence of silicate and aluminate networks in the feldspar and Mfensi clay was also confirmed by the FTIR results; these networks have a significant impact on the material's thermal characteristics and ion exchange. They are quite important for the converter's effective catalytic activities. Distinct angular particles with smooth surface texture was identified by the SEM, this was confirmed by the EDX upon revealing the existence of oxygen, silicate and aluminum. The structure of Mfensi clay was elongated, columnar, and plate-like, with a somewhat uniform arrangement. The primary elements of silicon (Si), oxygen (O), and aluminum (Al) were validated by EDX analysis. Following a number of processing procedures, such as molding, controlled drying and firing at 1180 ℃, a fired shrinkage of 6.85% was obtained and this fired shrinkage could be a sign of good thermal integrity and dimensional stability, as well as temperature swings. The study's porosity of 33.1% obtained is within the ideal range of 25–45% for catalytic honeycombs. The compressive strength was 65.5 KN/mm⁻² (6.55 MPa) and the thermal conductivity was 0.37 W/mK. These values are in line with those utilized for catalytic converter substrates based on mullite or alumina.
Keywords	Mfensi clay, Catalytic honeycombs, Mechanical properties, Thermal properties, Porosity and Material characterization.
Field	Physics > Mechanical Engineering
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 3, May-June 2026
Published On	2026-05-05
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i03.77001

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Mechanical and Thermal Characterization of Catalytic Converter Honeycombs Fabricated from Mfensi Clay-Based Composites

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