Valorization of mollusk shell waste as a source of sustainable carbonate to obtain calcium titanate ceramic

This work aimed to evaluate the valorization potential of mollusk shell waste as a renewable source of calcium carbonate to produce calcium titanate ceramic through a solid-state reaction method. The calcium titanate ceramic powders synthesized from the molar ratio CaCO3:TiO2 (1:1) between 900 and 1200 ºC were characterized regarding the X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and electrical resistivity. The results indicated that the mollusk shell waste was primarily composed of calcium carbonate in the form of aragonite. The results also showed the formation of an orthorhombic-structured calcium titanate (CaTiO3) at different synthesis temperatures. Additionally, it was found that the calcium titanate powders had an average crystallite size in the range of 43 to 49 nm and volume electrical resistivity in the range of 3.80 - 4.89 x 109 Ωcm. Therefore, the mollusk shell waste is highly promising for obtaining calcium titanate ceramic for electroceramic applications.