Porcelain
Porcelain bodies are produced using a mixture of clays, kaolins, fluxes and quartz.
Porcelain are classified in 3 categories:
- Hard porcelain: Firing temperature : 1400 ° C
- Soft porcelain: firing temperature 1250 ° C
- Bone china: Firing temperature : 1280 ° C
The quality and consistency of the raw materials used for procelain production influence the main properties of the ceramic body such as:
- Vitrification (Nepheline, Clay, Kaolin, Feldspar, Wollastonite)
- Strength – fired and unfired (clay, kaolin)
- Fired Shrinkage (Feldspar, all)
- Dimensional stability (feldspar, kaolin)
- Fired Colour :Low level colourant oxides leading to excellent fired whiteness (kaolin)
- Chemistry (all)
- Plasticity (clay)
- Low permeability
- Hardness
- Toughness
- Translucency and resonance combined with high resistance to chemical attack.
- Consistency (all)
- Particle Size
Porcelain is decorated with glaze influencing the aesthetic effect of the porcelain surface. For more information on Glazes, please go to the Frits & Glazes section of this tool.
