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Lab Report No.

3
To determine the Plasticity of China clay, Bentonite Clay and
Fire Clay.

Group No: 4
Members
M12-337 Khubaib Ahmed Zohaib
M12-345 Muhammad Shaheen
M12-304 Riaz Sarwar
M12-347 Muhammad Awais
M12-316 Aurangzaib
M12-335 Muhammad Daaim
M12-339 Muhammad Zubair
M12-314 Muhammad Usman
Specific Member for Lab Report
M12-345 Muhammad Shaheen
M12-337 Khubaib Ahmed Zohaib
Instructor:
Dr. Mohsin Ali Raza
Date of Experiment:
24-10-2013
Date of Submission:
1-10-2013

Aim:
The aim of the experiment is to observe which clay has more moulding/shaping capability. This
will be observed by observing the plasticity of clays. In addition, it will be investigates how the
addition of non-plastic silica into plastic clay effect the plasticity of the clays
Principle:
The addition of certain quantity of water makes clays plastic. The plasticity cannot be measured
absolutely. One vague method is to measure bending angles of coils made from clays. The
plasticity of clay is related to bending angle. High bending angles indicates higher plasticity of
the clays.
Material/Apparatus:
China clay
Silica
Bentonite Clay
Fire Clay
Water
Dish
Weight Balance
Theory:
Plasticity:
The property of clay that allows it to change shape without rupturing when force is applied to it.
(http://ceramicartsdaily.org/ceramic-supplies/ceramic-raw-materials/the-particulars-of-clay-bodyplasticity/)

Why clay become plastic?


Because clays has a nature/property of gaining plasticity after adding water or liquid solutions in
it like milk etc. In other words, the clay mass has three unique properties; first, it may be
deformed without cracking; second, when the deforming force ceases, the shape will remain
fixed; and Third, when the clay mass is dried, it has considerable strength.
(http://www.studiopotter.org/articles/art0019.htm)
Factors effecting plasticity in clays:
Any particular clay's plasticity is greatly influenced by
Particle size
Water content
Aging
The carbonaceous matter ordinarily present in clay also contributes to plasticity.
The plate-like shape of clay particles also contributes to plasticity.
Raising the temperature of a clay mass will increase its plasticity.
There are organic materials that can be added in clays to increase its property of plasticity like milk,
beer, urine, and vinegar, It is likely that bacteria in the clay feed on these organic additives and give off
wastes that lower the pH of the water in the clay body. This can and does improve the clays plasticity,

but has the unfortunate side effect of developing unpleasant odors, and some additives can promote
the growth of unhealthy bacteria and/or molds.
(http://pottery.about.com/od/potteryglossarykp/g/Plasticity.htm,
(http://ceramicartsdaily.org/ceramic-supplies/ceramic-raw-materials/the-particulars-of-clay-bodyplasticity/,
http://www.hamgil.com/plasticity-and-tha-origin-of-clay)
Benefits of plasticity:

It can be molded into any shape like a plastic.


It cannot crack easily.
It increases extrudability, ductility, workability and consistency
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169131710003601#,
Applied Clay Science: Review Article
Measuring the plasticity of clays: A review
F.A. Andrade, H.A. Al-Qureshi, D. Hotza)

Methods of Finding Plasticity:


There are several methods for measurement and characterization of the plasticity of a clay body. The
experimental determination, in some cases, is operator dependent, which in turn may produce different
results when different methods are compared. Among these methods, Atterberg, Pfefferkorn,
stress/strain curves, indentation and rheological measurements are the most used techniques (Table 1).
Table 1: Methods for evaluating the plasticity of clays

Method

Atterberg Pfefferkorn Penetrometer Capillary Brabender Tension


rheometer rheometer versus
deformation
Molding
Impact
Penetration
Pressure
Torque
Pressure
Measuring
deformation
principle
PI (LL
Water
Force
Viscosity, Torque,
Tension,
Parameters
and PL)
content
pressure
shear
deformation
measured or
extrusion, stress,
calculated
flow curve viscosity,
extrusion
head
pressure
Low
(mass
Average
Average
Average
Average
Speed
percent)
Low
Average/high High
High
High
Reproducibility Low
Low
Average
Average
High
High
Average
Cost
ASTM
Low
BS 1377
Capillary
Brabender Tension
Standard
D4318
(1990)
rheometer rheometer versus
(2005)
deformation

Mostly used method:


Atterberg and Pfefferkorn tests are widely used owing to the low cost of the equipment employed. The
measurement is based on the moisture content at which the material has some arbitrarily dened
consistency. In these tests, high moisture contents are associated with high plasticity and vice versa.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169131710003601#,
Applied Clay Science: Article
Measuring the plasticity of clays: A review
F.A. Andrade, H.A. Al-Qureshi, D. Hotza)

Plastic & Non-Plastic ceramics Raw Materials:


Plastic raw Materials include Ball clay, China Clay, Bentonite clay, Fire clay etc and non-plastic includes
silica, kaolin etc.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169131710003601#,
Applied Clay Science: Article
Measuring the plasticity of clays: A review
F.A. Andrade, H.A. Al-Qureshi, D. Hotza)

Procedure:

China clay is weighed using electric balance. An appropriate quantity of silica sand is mixed
with China clay by hand. Then water was added slowly into the mixture to make a dough. The
mixture so formed is mixed with water in a dish and sample of 2 inches diameter and 6 inches
length is made i.e. in the form of rod. Now as rod like shape is formed of given measurements, it
is placed on a protector in order to find out its bending angle. One end of rod (let A) is placed on
the origin of protector and the rod is rotated by the application of slight force on its other end (let
B). End A is kept fixed while end B is forced to rotate about the origin of protector. The rod is
rotated as long as cracks appear. Now the angle at which cracks appeared is noted. Care should
be taken during the rotation so that the sample rod must not break but just cracks should form.
The same procedure for different proportions of China clay and silica sand is repeated and values
of observed angles are taken. After completing series of experiments on China clay the same
procedure for Bentonite Clay and Fire clay is repeated.

Observation & Calculation:


Total weight of each sample =50 g
China & Silica:
Table 2: Composition of China & Silica and bending angle.
Percentage of China clay
Percentage of Silica Sand
(%)
(%)
100
0
80
20
60
40
40
60
20
80

Angle 0
65
55
50
40
25

Figure 1: Graph between composition of Silica sand + China clay and bending angle.

Result:
Plasticity decreases as the percentage of silica increases.

China & Bentonite:


Table 3: Composition of China & Bentonite and bending angle.
Percentage of China Clay
Percentage of Bentonite
(%)
Clay (%)
100
0
80
20
60
40
50
50
40
60

Angle 0
40
28
22
18
13

Figure 2: Graph between composition of Bentonite clay + China clay and bending angle

Result:
Plasticity decreases as the percentage of Bentonite increases.

Fire & Bentonite


Table 4: Composition of fire & Bentonite and bending angle.
Percentage of Fire Clay (%)
Percentage of Bentonite
Clay (%)
100
0
80
20
50
50
20
80

Angle 0
36
48.5
18.5
21.5

Figure 3: Graph between composition of Fire Clay + Bentonite clay and bending angle
Result:
Plasticity increases at 20 and 80 % of Bentonite clay and decreases at 50 %.

Comparison & Discussion:


Comparison:
Table 5: Comparison of pure clays.
Bending Angle 0
65
45
36

Clays
China Clay
Bentonite clay
Fire Clay

70

Bending Angle

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
China Clay

Bentonite Clay

Fire Clay

Figure 4: Comparative graph between China clay, Bentonite clay and Fire clay
Discussion:
In figure 1 the plasticity of China Clay decreases when the appropriate percentage of Silica clay
increases and so that bending angle also decreases. We can say that bending angle and plasticity
has direct relation, when bending angle decreases the plasticity also decreases and when angle
increases plasticity increases. China clay have finer particle then silica sand and china have high
plasticity then Bentonite and fire clay. Silica sand is a non-plastic raw material. So due to nonplastic nature of silica sand the plasticity of china clay decreases with the increase in silica sand
in the sample. The moisture content present in the sample also effect the plasticity, more the
moisture content more the plasticity but within the moisture range.
In figure 2 the plasticity decreases because the Bentonite clay is less fine particle size then china
clay.
In figure 3 Plasticity should be increase as the percentage of Bentonite increases. But the
readings given to us was not according to the property of Bentonite clay. The operator of that

group said that by mistake they increased the amount of water in that sample due this there
reading are not accurate.
In figure 4 the comparison of pure clays are shown in bar chart. China clay are more plasticity
then Bentonite clay and Bentonite have more plasticity then fire clay.
Errors:
Excess of moisture content in sample.
Reference:
Applied Clay Science: Article
Measuring the plasticity of clays: A review
F.A. Andrade, H.A. Al-Qureshi, D. Hotza
Reading of China and Bentonite clay from Group No.7
Reading of Fire clay and Bentonite clay from Group No.6

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