This spoon was dipped into a ceramic dipping engobe, L3954B. It contains no CMC gum, it was only flocculated using powdered Epsom salts. Without the Epsom salts, the engobe runs off, leaving only a film. But, when turned into a thixotropic slurry, it stays on the spoon in an even layer (as a gel), then hardens as it dewaters (left) and finally dries completely (right). With no cracks! It also fires to cone 03 with no cracks. Of course, if this were fired high enough, it would begin to shrink, crack, crawl, melt and then craze, ceasing to be an engobe. Of course, special low-expansion frits and additives and mixing, preparation and application techniques make enamels, which do melt, possible for metals.
| Glossary |
Flocculation
The flocculation process enables technicians in ceramics to create an engobe or glaze slurry that gels and goes on to ware in a thick yet even, non-dripping layer. |
| Materials |
Epsom Salts
Employed in ceramics as a flocculant to thicken and gel suspensions by electrostatically charging particles so that they attract each other. |
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