Porous porcelain with yeast technique

[Mirjam Kotar 0]

Dear all, i hope someone can help me. I try to do a porous porcelain with yeast foaming technique. I did search clay forums and  archives and I couldn't find anything.

There are some articles on this techinque in industrial ceramic field. I studied an article by R.L. Menchavez in Journal of Material Science titled Red clay-based porous ceramic with pores created by yeast-based foaming technique. And some other articles... the procedures seemed quite straightforward.

So I made a mixture of 50% porc +50% water, to this I added 15% potato starch. Then yeast : I did 3 samples from 11 to 30 % yeast in relation to starch weight.

I also did two experiments: yeast mixture directly to porc mix, and second  with yeast that was risen separately.

NOT ONE of 6 samples has risen.  

Any suggestions what and how to do it?

Thank you, regards, Mirjam

The picture is not mine, this is my goal ... if I survive all this yeast smell...

Edited September 7, 2019 by Mirjam Kotar

[liambesaw 2,966]

Maybe try different consistencies?  

[Mirjam Kotar 0]

 In the above procedure I followed Menchavez recipe 50/50. Which way you suggest: more porc or more water or more starch? Or you mean more yeast?

Edited September 7, 2019 by Mirjam Kotar

[liambesaw 2,966]

I just meant try with less water and more water.  The thing is, without gluten I don't think it's going to rise like dough, it will just become carbonated, the bubbles will pass through the clay and pop on the surface.  An easier method may be to mix a surfactant and carbonated water with clay so it can be use immediately.  I've seen some posts where people made a bubbly slip and applied it to greenware.

[Hulk 910]

Hi Mirjam!

I'm not seeing any pictures associated with your post.

Any road, are you certain the yeast is viable (does it "proof") in the typical kitchen sense? Yeast added to warmed water (~100F/40C) spiked with some sugar should begin to foam within ten minutes or so.

That seems like the easiest thing to cross off; once you're sure the yeast is live/good, perhaps a next step would be to determine if porcelain kills the yeast? I'm fairly certain that the mid fire stoneware I'm using supports microbial life, heh...

Likely you'll want to keep your samples warm. Keep the dough warm for a faster rise; keep it cool if you wish to go sour.

[Mirjam Kotar 0]

Yes, my yeast was alive, I tested it first normal way as for bread. And I did everything with warm water and kept everything around 40 °C. Sorry, it seems  I didnt post the picture. This is my goal.

[neilestrick 4,891]

The 50/50 mix will likely need to be adjusted. If your yeast is definitely alive and gasses are being formed, then it's possible that it's too runny and the bubbles are just passing through. It needs to be stiff enough that the gasses are trapped. If you're not getting bubbles, then either the mix was too hot and you killed it, or there wasn't enough food for them, which means you need more starch. My gut feeling is that 15% starch would be so dispersed throughout the porcelain that the yeast wouldn't be able to feed very well. If more starch negatively affects the structure of the porcelain, I would try adding sugar or honey, which would dissolve in the water and be readily accessible to the yeast.

[Mirjam Kotar 0]

Ok, thank you, I will try tomorrow with more samples. My mixture was not stiff, was very runny, so I will add more starch. And in some I will add flour, and in some sugar. Will report back what happened.

[Magnolia Mud Research 749]

Seriously consider using less water to thicken the slip along with the increased starch.

[oldlady 2,949]

mirjam,  may i ask why you want to do this?   what is your ultimate goal?

[Mirjam Kotar 0]

I have this picture in mine mind of a rough volcano pedestal in black (foamed black porcelain) with paper thin white porcelain bowl on top... just want to try foaming porcelain, actually. I always try to do something impossible :(  last week I tried several samples more thick  but no success.

 

[Min 3,721]

@Mirjam Kotar, is the piece in your image above made using this technique? It looks a bit like it could be from a slip saturated piece of open sponge thats been fired, perhaps that could be an alternative way of doing it.

[Babs 1,252]

Normal clay lave glaze work for same visual

[Mirjam Kotar 0]

Yes, I know lava glaze gives you the same surface, but I would like to have a structural porous piece. And I did a piece with a sponge, looked kind of what I planned. However I'm stubborn and I want direct foaming with yeast :):):).   

Edited October 10, 2019 by Mirjam Kotar

[Mirjam Kotar 0]

Now I found an artist Tiger  Wong Ho Lun  who  seems to do similar technique. Will see if he is willing to share the idea, technique ....

[Babs 1,252]

19 hours ago, Mirjam Kotar said:

Yes, I know lava glaze gives you the same surface, but I would like to have a structural porous piece. And I did a piece with a sponge, looked kind of what I planned. However I'm stubborn and I want direct foaming with yeast :):):).   

Well keep trying. Post results please:-))

[Marcia Selsor 1,932]

Interesting affect.

Marcia

 

[Tyler Miller 444]

Ugh.  What’s the point?

 

 

Edited October 18, 2019 by Tyler Miller

[MCubed 0]

Mirjam,

I am currently working on replicating this paper myself. There is another paper that uses starch only to produce a similar texture after sintering. Even if your yeast doesn't work, it seems like you should have sort of texture after you sinter. I am starting with just the yeast and feedstock to make sure that the potato starch effectively feeds the yeast. Maybe that's another thing to cross off after you determine that the yeast is alive? There is a book out there called porous materials, and it has an entire chapter on porous ceramics production. It might be worth looking into! With at least two papers out there that supposedly did this successfully, it has to be possible! Please keep us updated.

 

Madeline

[Bryan Johnson 17]

Maybe add bentonite.

 

[Min 3,721]

@MCubed, the op, @Mirjam Kotar hasn't been logged in here since Oct. so they might not have seen your post. Try pm'ing them, they will get an email of your pm so there is a better chance of them seeing it.

 

[db3819 4]

what a fascinating idea. do keep us posted.