## 3 Results and Discussion
### Study of the Influence of Bentonite Clay on the Properties of Products
Samples with 20, 25, and 30% bentonite showed a strength of 10.8%, 31.4%, and 43.9% less than the pure loam sample, respectively (Table 4). The significant decrease in the strength of the samples with 25 and 30 % bentonite is associated with the formation of small longitudinal cracks (Table 4). To determine the impact of temperature on the properties of the products, samples with 15 and 20 % bentonite were subjected to burning. Table 5 presents the compounds and results of the properties of the samples based on loam without additives and with bentonite after burning at 1150 and 1170 \({}^{\circ}\)C.  
According to the data in Table 5, burning the products at 1150 \({}^{\circ}\)C increased the compressive strength of the pure loam sample by 4% and 6% with the addition of 20% bentonite, compared to the strength after burning at 1100 \({}^{\circ}\)C. The strength of the sample with the addition of 15% bentonite practically did not change. The optimal addition of bentonite clay is 15%. In this case, a decrease in the average density and an increase in the compressive strength during burning at 1100 \({}^{\circ}\)C were observed. Burning at 1150 \({}^{\circ}\)C did not lead to a significant increase in the compressive strength of the specimens. Burning of the samples with 15% bentonite at 1170 \({}^{\circ}\)C led to a significant increase in the compressive strength of the samples and an increase in the average density, which is related to the formation of a liquid phase and sintering of the ceramic shard (Table 5). Figure 5 shows photographs of the samples based on loam without additives and with 15% bentonite after burning at 1170 \({}^{\circ}\)C.  
Figure 5 shows that after burning at 1170 \({}^{\circ}\)C, the samples showed slightly vitrified surfaces, which indicates the sintered state of the ceramic shard. According to Table 5, the loam-based sample without additive had a compressive strength of 38.5 MPa and an average density of 1927 kg/m\({}^{3}\). The addition of 15% bentonite contributed to the production of products burned at the same temperature, with a compressive strength of 42.7 MPa and an average density of 1737 kg/m\({}^{3}\). Figure 4: The samples with bentonite after burning at 1100 \({}^{\circ}\)C for 1 h. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**No.**} & \multirow{2}{*}{**Compounds**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{\(\rho_{\alpha\alpha}\), kg/m\({}^{3}\)} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Compressive Strength, MPa**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**General Shrinkage, \%**} \\ \cline{3-8}  & & **1150 \({}^{\circ}\)C** & **1170 \({}^{\circ}\)C** & **1150 \({}^{\circ}\)C** & **1170 \({}^{\circ}\)C** & **1150 \({}^{\circ}\)C** & **1170 \({}^{\circ}\)C** \\ \hline
**1** & Loam-100\% & 1638 & 1927 & 18.17 & 38.5 & 5.2 & 6.0 \\
2 & Loam-85\%; & 1575 & 1737 & 21.71 & 42.7 & 4.9 & 6.5 \\  & bentonite-15\% & 1554 & - & 16.6 & - & 5.1 & - \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 5: The compounds and properties of samples with bentonite. According to GOST 530-2012, the samples obtained with the addition of bentonite clay correspond to class 2 with a medium density. After burning at 1100 \({}^{\circ}\)C, in terms of compressive strength, they correspond to grade M 200, and when burned at 1170 \({}^{\circ}\)C, they correspond to clinker bricks (grade M 400). Thus, it was found that the addition of diatomic from the Zhalpak and Utesai deposits to loam decreased the average density of the samples burned at 1000 and 1100 \({}^{\circ}\)C and increased their compressive strength. At the same time, the optimal addition of diatomic was found to be 15%, with a fractional composition of 0.315-0.16 mm. The addition of bentonite clay, in general, reduced the strength and density of the samples.