Suspending agents: nature, function, and chemical-physical principles
Suspending agents belong to a broad category of additives whose primary purpose is to provide ceramic suspensions (slips, glazes, engobes, or frits) with good internal stability, counteracting potential sedimentation phenomena.Available in both liquid and solid forms, these products act within the suspension to ensure the right balance.There are various mechanisms that can be employed to properly maintain the solid phase of the mixture in suspension.Among these, the most significant are about viscosity, electrostatic repulsion, and concentration (solid/liquid ratio).This episode, after reviewing the properties of suspending agents, focuses on these three main tools, delving into the reasons and mechanisms behind each, also considering the application systems through which suspensions are deposited onto the ceramic substrate—a detail that can significantly influence the type of suspending agent to be used.
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20:08
Complexing agents and ceramic production: what they are and how they work
Complexing agents are capable of catching multivalent cations present in suspension to prevent them from negatively affecting the ceramic process. They are responsible for one of the main mechanisms underlying the deflocculation process: complexation.Complexing agents (or chelating agents) are chemicals that bind to specific ions (such as calcium, magnesium, iron, etc.), forming stable complexes.This property allows them to "sequester" metals, making them less reactive or preventing their precipitation in solutions.These are simplified and very short descriptions of this particular category of additives. The episode takes a closer look at the mechanisms enacted by these substances within the ceramic production process, highlighting their functions, benefits, and sometimes, risks.
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14:58
Relief surfaces and ceramic production (3D effects): methods and techniques
The topic of non-planar surfaces, which develop on multiple micro-levels and are sometimes improperly identified as 3D surfaces, plays a crucial role in giving ceramic surfaces not only a more natural appearance but also a broader and more extensive expressive potential.This is not a new requirement: it took its first steps with the help of traditional technologies, but it has found new momentum with the arrival of the latest digital techniques.The episode offers an overview of the main methodologies currently used to achieve textured surfaces, delving into the chemical mechanisms that occur on the surface and contribute to producing the desired effects.
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18:21
Preparatory stages of the digital printing process: from files to ceramic support
In the previous episode (#45) we discussed the technical aspects of digital printing systems in relation to ceramic bricks.This second part looks at the necessary preparatory work for the printing phase, going through the various steps involved in preparing a print file.Regardless of the media on which you will work.Some key words: standardized lighting, colorimeter, spectrophotometer, linearization, chart...
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19:13
Digital printing: opportunities and challEnges in heavy clay ceramics
At present, in the heavy clay industry, products are decorated mainly by applying engobe with the aid of scattered granules or by means of reduction effects created by the firing process.These techniques are suitable to produce traditional products for the existing market. What added value does digital printing offer in this field?
À propos de Apparently invisible. Chemistry in ceramics.
Aware of how complex the problems related to the world of chemistry applied to ceramic production processes can be, we want to share our knowledge with those who want to orient themselves or train for passion or profession.Through a simple and direct language, the podcast aims to be an educational space with a focus on products, applications and processes.The journey unfolds along the ceramic production lines.At each stage a topic.At each topic a critical issue.At each critical issue, when possible, a solution.
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