Abstract
The article discusses the production and role of engobed bricks in the construction industry in view of the global trend towards resource and energy conservation. Standard methods for determining properties, as well as X-ray fluorescence, dilatometry, thermal and petrographic analyses, were used in the study. It has been established that for samples of ceramic bricks fired at 950-1000°C, the application of an engobic layer reduces the water absorption of the front surface from 14.5-1.2% to 6-2% and masks the undesirable colour. This makes it possible to use cheaper raw materials for brick production. The thermal conductivity of engobe bricks decreases from 0.48 to 0.43 W/(m·K), which opens up broad prospects for further development of energy-efficient coatings. An engobe was found to be optimal when produced with the following set of properties, wt.%: refractory clay – 65; quartz sand – 10; container glass – 25.