Transactions of the INDIAN CERAMIC SOCIETY Vol. 57 1998
Evaluation and Utilization of Rajpardi Clay
in the Production of Traditional Ceramics :
Part-IV: Development of Crockery and Tablewares
through Optimum Utilization of Rajpardi Clay
in Substitution
S. K. MUKHERJI, B. B. MACHHOYA AND K. N. MAITI
Pages : 43-49
DOI : 10.1080/0371750X.1998.10804829
Abstract
A standard stoneware crockery body mix (RPC-STD)
consisting of calcined quartz 25 wt%, potash feldspar 20
wt%, Eklera china clay 10 wt%, Amrapali (Grade II) china
clay 10 wt%, Orient china clay 10 wt%, Bikaner Ball clay 15
wt% and Than clay 10 wt% was taken as a starting
composition with the objective of studying the suitability of
Rajpardi clay in the manufacture of stoneware crockery.
Progressive incorporation of Rajpardi plastic clay in
replacements of Bikaner ball clay and Than plastic clay in
the standard crockery body composition resulted in the
gradual increase in plasticity and unfired strengths of the
body mixes. The increase in strengths were 44 and 59% for
RPC-3 body mix containing IS wt% Rajpardi clay in
complete replacement of Bikaner and in RPC-5 body mix
containing 25 wt% Rajpardi clay with complete replacement
of both Bikaner and Than clays respectively. The complete
replacement of traditional Bikaner and Than plastic clays
by Rajpardi clay showed a reduction in maturing
temperature by SO"C and increase in fired strength by 11.8%
as compared to that of the standard body. This was attributed
to the presence of more fluxy impurities in Rajpardi clay.
All these properties would lead towards the economical
production of improved stoneware crockerywares containing
Rajpardi day either in the replacement of Bikaner clay or in
the complete replacement of both Bikaner and Than clays in
the standard crockery composition.
