WOLLASTONITE A cost-effective solution for traditional ceramic green bodies, glazes and engobes
Imerys wollastonites are excellent fluxing agents and frits for traditional ceramic green bodies, glazes and engobes.
Green bodies
Due to their unique chemical composition and acicular structure, Imerys wollastonites are excellent, low loss on ignition (LOI) reinforcing and fluxing agents in ceramic green bodies. They are excellent solutions for traditional ceramics such as floor and wall tiles, sanitaryware and tableware.
Imerys wollastonites:
- Reduce firing shrinkage
- Increase green and fired toughness
- Enhance impact strength
- Improve thermal stability preventing thermal shock
- Speed up drying times
Imerys wollastonites contribute CaO to the ceramic formula without outgassing, allowing manufacturers to reduce firing temperatures and cycles compared to traditional materials, generating cost savings and lowering CO2 emissions.
Glazes
Imerys wollastonites are also ideal, natural frit additives that act as fluxing agents improving the durability and surface appearance of glazes.
Imerys wollastonites:
- Improve surface smoothness and transparency
- Improve glaze finish, reducing pinholes, crazing and cracking
- Improve thermal stability
- Lower thermal expansion
- Reduce vitrification temperature
- Maintain high brightness value during firing
- Generate lower CO2 emissions compared to traditional materials
They are ideal matting agents for satin, matte and rustic glazes.
Note that replacing calcium carbonate with wollastonite in sanitaryware glazes can eliminate glaze crazing completely.
Engobes
Used in engobes, Imerys wollastonites:
- Improve whiteness
- Lower opacifier demand
- Prevent crawling (drying cracks)
- Lower thermal expansion
Imerys wollastonites for ceramics are mined and/or processed at our operations in the United States and Mexico.
We have major ceramics technology centers in Europe, the Americas and Asia offering a full range of technical and process support services to help you match the right solution to your application requirement.
And with Industrial facilities and blending platforms in Asia, Europe, Middle-East and the Americas, we have the resources to serve our customers anywhere in the world.