Physical Properties in Traditional Ceramics

Introduction

A property in this context is a created physical phenomenon in a glaze or body that can be achieved in a variety of ways (called mechanisms). For example, there are a number of ways to suspend a glaze slurry, a number of mechanisms of glaze opacify or body plasticity, a number of ways to achieve a specific glaze color, etc. Whether a mechanism is physical or chemical, we need to understand all the options to choose a suitable one for a specific application.

Consider an example: If we define 'glaze color' as a property, then we can attach a 'glaze color mechanism' to the oxide chrome, specify 'pink' as the detail and explain how the mechanism works. Likewise, to alumina oxide we can attach a glaze color property noting that with chrome, manganese, and cobalt it can achieve pink colors. Now if we search for the specific instance of pink in the glaze color property in this area we will find these two mechanisms listed. You will not fully appreciate the potential of this until you really need to produce a specific effect and this area makes you aware of a way to do it that you never considered or even thought existed.

Another example is opacification, most people are not aware of how many ways there are to opacify glazes. This area makes it easy to browse all the mechanisms, evaluate the tradeoffs and select the best one (or combination).

Links

Articles	Understanding Ceramic Oxides Fired glazes are composed of oxide building blocks. Each of the oxides contributes different properties to the fired glaze and interacts with others in different ways. Understanding these gives you control.
Glossary	Co-efficient of Thermal Expansion The co-efficient of thermal expansion of ceramic bodies and glazes determines how well they fit each other and their ability to survive sudden heating and cooling without cracking.
Glossary	Rheology In ceramics, this term refers to the flow and gel properties of a glaze or body suspension (made from water and mineral powders, with possible additives, deflocculants, modifiers).
Glossary	Plasticity Plasticity (in ceramics) is a property exhibited by soft clay. Force exerted effects a change in shape and the clay exhibits no tendency to return to the old shape. Elasticity is the opposite.
Glossary	Opacifier Glaze opacity refers to the degree to which it is opaque. Opacifiers are powders added to transparent ceramic glazes to make them opaque.
Glossary	Vitrification The term vitrified refers to the fired state of a piece of porcelain or stoneware. Vitrified ware has been fired high enough to impart a practical level of strength and durability for the intended purpose.
Glossary	Matte Glaze Random material mixes that melt well overwhelmingly want to be glossy, creating a matte glaze that is also functional is not an easy task.
Glossary	Deflocculation Deflocculation is the magic behind the ceramic casting process, it enables slurries having impossibly low water contents and ware having amazingly low drying shrinkage

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