CLAY ESSENTIAL MATERIAL FOR CERAMIC PRODUCTION

Abstract

Clays are used in the ceramics industries largely because of their contribution to the moulding and drying properties of the wares being produced; many clays, such as the flint clays, are used because of favorable behavior during firing or because they produce favorable properties in fired ware. To assure the most effective use of a clay, the ceramic technologist must meet problems of purification, aging, bacterial action, and the improvement of the working properties of clays and bodies through additions of non-plastic materials or chemicals. He deals with flocculation and deflocculation, thixotropy, and related phenomena in casting slips. Control of drying behavior is important. Finally, the ceramist is concerned with the influence of the clay content of ceramic bodies on their behavior during firing. The methodology adopted is the descriptive research method which involved an indepth review of literature related to the study, observation schedule and selection of foreign and local Case studies to compare and deduce data on clay essential materials for ceramic production. The findings of this study reveals that clays are used in the ceramics industries largely because of their contribution to the moulding and drying properties of the wares being produced, many types of clay, such as the flint clays, are used because of favorable behavior during firing or because they produce favorable properties in fired ware.

Keywords: clay, materials, ceramics.