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Chemical properties of Kaolin and Ceramic


Mugisha

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Kaolin alone, no matter if its Grolleg, Helmar, EPK......................... can be used to make ceramic tiles. Clays alone will not work well, if at all. Clay BODIES however (compilation of clays and other materials, mixed for a set of desired working characteristics) work wonderfully to make tiles.

Yes, kaolin can be everything from stark white, to orangish in color, and a slew of colors in between. The color of the unfired clay, to fired clay, will change dramatically, especially if fired in numerous different atmospheres.

Where are you located? What kind of tiles? Where are you getting your materials? What temperature range? What do you mean by "adhesive"?

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1 hour ago, glazenerd said:

Mug:

typical analysis for kaolin is 37% alumina, 48% silica: with less than 0.25% iron.  

The analysis you posted is a ball clay.  That amount of iron would produce buff to brown pending recipe % and cone firing.

nerd

 

4.4% seems like an awful lot of iron for a ball clay. Could this be a red clay/terra cotta?

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Neil, 

I realize you addressed your comment to glazenerd.  That said, if the sample isn’t ball clay or terracotta, the analysis coild be kaolinitic soil or something like it—something not too common in North America, but very common in tropical countries.  

Kaolin, organic matter, and maybe some silica sand, which tends to hang with kaolinite. 18% LOI—assuming complete analysis.  

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Neil:

Not sure if the OP is from the USA - Canada, or across the pond. 4.4% iron is not uncommon ( Banta, Red Art, Imco Burgundy). Definitely could produce Terra Cotta. But the color effect would vary if the iron source was magnetite or hematitie. Iron disulfide is the common iron source here.

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