Pioneer Kaolin

Alternate Names: Georgia Kaolin

Description: Medium plasticity kaolin

Oxide	Analysis	Formula
CaO	0.20%	0.01
MgO	0.10%	0.01
SiO2	45.40%	2.01
Fe2O3	0.40%	0.01
Al2O3	38.30%	1.00
TiO2	1.40%	0.05
Na2O	0.10%	-
LOI	13.96%	n/a
Oxide Weight		228.77
Formula Weight		265.89

Notes

Pioneer clay is used in pressing, casting and extruding bodies. Its fires fairly white and provides moderate to good dry strength. Its chemistry is very close to theoretical kaolin.

Pioneer Kaolin has been a standard for many years in the North American ceramic industry and bodies and glazes.

Typical physical properties as per data sheet TD-49R

Particle size, % < 2 microns 55-65
Mean particle size (microns) 1.0-1.2
325 mesh residue, % max .75
pH, 20% solids 4.0-6.5
Strength (dry M.O.R.), psi
-50:50 clay:flint 300-400
Cone 10 (M.O.R.), psi
-50:50 clay:flint 2500-3000
Cone 10 absorption, % 18-20
Moisture, % max 3.0
Color (fired), Cone 8 100% clay
-brightness, % MgO 85.1
-whiteness index 18.8
P.C.E. Cone 34
C.E.C. (meq./100g) 4.5-5.5

Related Information

Fired test bars of Pioneer Kaolin

Cone 10R (top) and cone 11 down to 8 oxidation (downward).

Bulk 2500 lb bulk bags of Pioneer Kaolin

The material is much less dense than most other ceramic materials (that is why these bags are so tall). When moved the powder within becomes unstable and they are prone to falling over.

Links

Materials	EP Kaolin A kaolin that gels slurries (thus handy to suspend ceramic glazes). It is plastic and fires white enough that it is also valuable in porcelain bodies.
Materials	Kaolin The purest of all clays in nature. Kaolins are used in porcelains and stonewares to impart whiteness, in glazes to supply Al2O3 and to suspend slurries.
Materials	Wilco-UPF Kaolin
Materials	McNamee Kaolin
Typecodes	Kaolin Pure clay mineral, there are many brand names of varying purity and iron content.

By Tony Hansen
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