Kaolin
Kaolin, also called chine clay, soft white clay that is an essential ingredient in the manufacture of china and poreelain and is widely used in the making of paper rubber,paint,and many other products.kaolin
Is named after the hill on china (kao-ling) from which it way mined for centuries,samples of kaolin were first sent to Europe by a French jesusuit missionary around 1700 as examples of the materrials used by
the Chinese in the manufacture of porcelain. In its natural state kaolin is a white,soft powder consisting principally of the mineral laolinite,which under the elecatron microsope,is seen to consist of roughly
neragonal ,platy crystal ranging in size from about 0/1 micrometer to 10 micrometer or even large.these crystal may take re micrometer and book like forms and occasionally macroscopic forms approaching
millimeter size are found. Kaolin as found in natural usually contains varing amounts of other minerals such as ,mascorite,quortz, feldospat and anatas. In addition, crude Kaolin is frequently staind yellow by
iron hydroxide pigments.when Kaolin mixed with water in the range of 20 to 30 percent, it became plastic.with large percentage of water, the Kaolin forms a slurry or watery suspension. Kaolin has been
minde in france, England ,Germany and in the states.
Usage
Apporoximately, 40 percent of the Kaolin produced is used in the filling and coating of paper. In filling, the Kaolin is mixed with cellulose fibre and forms an integral part of paper sheet to give it body.colour,
opacity and printability. Kaolin is used exetensively in the ceramic industry ,where its fusion temperature and white barning characteristics makes it particulary suitable for the manufacture of white ware
(chine), porcelain and refractories.