EMULATION OF A WHITEBODY FROM SELECTED CERAMIC RAW MATERIALS FROM SOKOTO AND KWARA STATES SUITABLE FOR CASTING TABLEWARES

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Department of Environmental Design

ABSTRACT
The problem with which this study is concerned is to identify suitable materials from Sokoto and Kwara States for the formulation of a whitebody. The purposes of the study are : - 1 . To identify through experiments the selected ceramic raw materials from Sokoto and Kwara States suitable for casting tableware. 2. To find a good workable body that can be fired to approximately 1 280'c to produce tableware. 3. To make a contribution to knowledge in this area especially to the scanty literature on my topic. The information supplied by Geologists and local Potters helped the researcher to identify and procure raw materials used in this study. The materials are Rakwamni Kaolin, Wurno secondary clay, Kalambaina limestone, Mayanci quartz from Sokoto State and feldspar from Okene in Kwara State. The chemical analysis could not be performed due to lack of equipment, but physical property tests in shrinkage, plasticity, porosity and colour for plastic materials and for the non-plastic materials colour, cleavage and hardness were conducted. After the physical property test some materials were rejected and atriaxial blend method was adapted as the basis for body formulation. Seven compositions that produced likely results were selected for further tests. Slip casting technique was used as a shaping method to produce samples. The study, based on the result obtained states the following findings:- 1 • Rakwamni clay can be used as a fine kaolin, Wurno as a ball clay, Mayanci quartz as a source of s i l i c a and Kalambaina limestone for whiting all from Sokoto State. Okene feldspar from Kwara State can also be used as a potash feldspar. 2. The amount of water, 250 gm and 4 gm of deflocculants in varied proportions of 2:2 and 1 :3 of sodium carbonate and sodium silicate to every 500 gm of solid ingredients produced a good workable slips. And the addition of a secondary clay also improved the plasticity in the slips. 3. There was a good balance of the body and the glaze as a result the 1280°c temperature at glost firing was found to be adequate. 4. Ball milling was discovered to be the most effective way to blend ceramic materials. 5. If the casting slip is left undisturbed for days, the casting will be difficult. It will need blunging before casting is done. 6. Gas firing yielded variations of white effect probably as are sult of the reduction atmosphere in the kiln during firing.