Clay is at the heart of handmade ceramics. This article compares clay types through their morphology, chemical composition, plasticity and shrinkage, exploring kaolinite, illite, montmorillonite, biotite and red clays in relation to different uses in ceramic practice.
In glass chemistry, each component helps shape structure, properties or processing. Here I explore aluminium as a network stabiliser, discussing coordination compounds, charge compensation and the connections between glass structure, chemical durability and thermal resistance.
Ceramics and glass combine beauty with technical complexity. This post explores the role of fluxes in glass and glaze production, their interaction with the silica network, the formation of non-bridging oxygens and the contribution of recycled glass to glassmaking.
One of the main challenges in glazing is compatibility between the glaze and the clay body during cooling. A high coefficient of thermal expansion does not, by itself, cause crazing: the behaviour of the combined system must be considered. […]
Celadon glaze is admired for its subtle green and blue shades and their deep historical and cultural associations. What makes these colours distinctive? The answer involves the chemistry of iron in the glaze and its relationship with composition and firing conditions. […]
Discover the advantages and limitations of plaster moulds for complex, detailed ceramic objects. Find out whether this method suits your studio!
Hello everyone! In this post, I turn to an important subject for ceramic artists: health in the studio. I discuss toxic exposure, silica dust, kiln hazards and care when handling ceramic materials, with references to occupational health and poison information services.
Hello everyone! Today I would like to discuss kiln construction. Gas-fired kilns offer different possibilities for control and operation from wood-fired kilns. Their installation requires an assessment of combustion-product exhaust, ventilation, heat and site conditions. […]
Hello everyone! This is the final post in the glaze-theory series. I will discuss how the theoretical foundations developed so far can help us identify a good glaze and anticipate possible problems before testing it in the kiln. […]
Hello everyone! Continuing the glaze series, this week I will discuss glazes’ physical and chemical characteristics and explain how to calculate the Seger unity molecular formula. We begin with the nature of glass and the role of glass formers. […]