Table of Contents
What can I use as a Deflocculant?
Sodium silicate, also referred to as liquid glass, is another commonly used deflocculant in slip preparation. In ceramics, sodium silicate can also be used in surface decoration to create a crackled surface texture on pots.
How does a Deflocculant work?
Deflocculants are electrolyte-sourcing liquids or powders (like sodium silicate, Darvan) that are added in small amounts. They work their magic by imparting electrical charges to clay particles making them repel each other (more accurately it is said to be a condition where repulsive forces predominate).
Is Epsom salts a Deflocculant?
Epsom salts are my flocculant of choice. To use Epsom salts as a flocculant, the salts need to be dissolved in water. This breaks up the bond between the magnesium and the sulphate so the magnesium ions are free to attach themselves to the clay particles.
What does Epsom salt do to clay?
Adding about 5 oz of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) per 100 lbs of dry clay formula (approximately 0.3% of the formula) can increase plasticity on another level. Epsom salts increase the attraction of clay platelets in the moist clay state and cause the clay to become flocculated.
What is a function of Deflocculant in the processing of ceramics part?
Deflocculation. The deflocculation process is the magic behind the ceramic casting process. It enables you to make a slurry of far lower water content and thus lower shrinkage. Glossary.
How do you make a saturated Epsom salt solution?
In the beaker, stir 1/2 cup of Epsom salts with 1/2 cup of very hot tap water for at least one minute. This creates a saturated solution, meaning no more salt can dissolve in the water. (Some undissolved crystals will be at the bottom of the glass.)
What does sodium silicate do?
Liquid sodium silicate reacts under acidic conditions to form a hard glassy gel. This property makes it useful as a bonding agent in cemented products such as concrete and abrasive wheels. It is also an excellent adhesive for glass or porcelain. A traditional use for dissolved water glass is as a preservative for eggs.
What is the difference between flocculation and Deflocculation?
The key difference between flocculation and deflocculation is that flocculation is the formation of flocs by the clumping of fine particles, whereas deflocculation is the dispersion of flocs to form a stable colloid. Flocculation refers to the formation of clumps from fine particles in a colloid.
Is Redisperse difficult?
In a deflocculated system the dispersed particles remain as discrete units. Because the rate of sedimentation depends on the size of each unit, settling will be slow. The slow rate of settling prevents the entrapment of liquid within the sediment, which thus becomes compacted and can be very difficult to redisperse.
How are Epsom salts good for you?
Epsom salt is good for the body. Epsom salt helps relax muscles and relieve pain in the shoulders, neck, back and skull. For example, by relaxing the muscles surrounding the skull, the magnesium in Epsom salt may help release a headache or migraine.
How much Epsom salt do you put in a glaze?
It should require less than approximately one teaspoon of Epsom salt solution per gallon of glaze. The quantity will depend on the severity of the problem. If a glaze has gotten too hard at the bottom to mix back up, first try my favorite glaze-stirring tool, a handheld kitchen stick blender.
Is sodium silicate a Deflocculant?
Sodium silicate is the most popular deflocculant used in casting slips for many years (as a source of sodium ions). It is nearly always used with soda ash (when employed alone it can make a slip ‘stringy’ and thixotropic). The material is effective, reliable and inexpensive.
What causes glaze crawling?
Crawling is caused by a high index of surface tension in the melting glaze. It is triggered by adhesion problems, often caused by bad application. It occurs where a glaze is excessively powdery and does not fully adhere to the surface of the clay.
Is alum a coagulant or flocculant?
To accomplish this, the water is treated with aluminum sulfate, commonly called alum, which serves as a flocculant. Raw water often holds tiny suspended particles that are very difficult for a filter to catch. Alum causes them to clump together so that they can settle out of the water or be easily trapped by a filter.
Is Vinegar a flocculant?
Vinegar is often used in ceramic slurries to change the viscosity (thicken it). While there are more effective flocculants (e.g. calcium chloride, epsom salts), vinegar is popular among potters simply because it is so available. Even if there are no carbonates, vinegar-flocculated slurries can thin out over time.
Why do Flocculated particles not cake?
Flocculated suspensions In this suspension type, the structure of the aggregates is quite rigid; hence they settle quickly to form a high sediment height and are easily redispersible because the particles constituting individual aggregates are sufficiently far apart from one another to preclude caking.
What is flocculant for?
Used in a wide range of industries and applications, flocculants help to remove suspended solids from wastewater by aggregating contaminants into flakes or “flocs” that float to the surface of the water or settle at the bottom. They can also be used for lime softening, sludge thickening, and solids dehydration.
What does vinegar do to clay?
The acidity of the vinegar breaks down the clay a bit, and makes it sticky. Some artists use vinegar straight from the bottle, or add vinegar to clay instead of water to make a joining slip. All these methods work to create a join that is stronger than water or slip alone.
How much vinegar do you put in a clay slip?
It’s very simple to make, but it does bond clay together very effectively. To make paper clay slip, follow these simple steps: Tear up a few sheets of toilet paper and put them in a container. Add 1-2 cups of white vinegar to the torn-up paper.
How do you use magic water pottery?
Add 3/4 to 2/3 of a cup of bone dry clay hammered into small pieces, or powdered. It is better to use the same clay for both, magic mud and your actual project. Soak over night in Magic Water poured one inch above clay and paper mixture.
What is a Deflocculant?
: an agent that causes deflocculation specifically : a chemical (as sodium carbonate) added to a clay slip to minimize settling out.
