POTASH FELDSPAR
One of the most important accoutrements for medium and high temperature ceramic glazes. Potash feldspars are frequently not as pure and white as soda pop spars. A feldspar is generally appertained to as’ potash’ if there’s significantly further potassium than sodium( generally there will be 2- 5 Na2O). If the quantities are near to equal they’re nominated potash- soda pop feldspars( or vice versa). Of course, real potash feldspars also have small quantities of CaO, MgO, Fe2O3,etc. Potassium feldspar melts at around 1200C( advanced than soda pop feldspar) producing a more a thick melt than does sodium feldspar. It can also produce a crystalline phase( leucite) that contributes to nebulosity. therefore, in assiduity, potash feldspars are frequently used further for matte glazes while soda pop feldspar is used for lustrous glazes. Glazes high in feldspar( 35 or further) are agonized by deranging problems, yet still used by knockouts of thousands of potters.’ Flux impregnated’ glazes with further than 50 feldspar may be unstable and warrant acceptable glass former or alumina to produce a stable hard glass resistant to filtering.
CHARACTERISTICS OF POTASH FELDSPAR
Feldspar is a largely abundant group of minerals in the earth’s crust, which forms around 60 of available terrestrial jewels. The deposits handed sodium feldspar and potassium feldspar with mixed feldspars. Feldspar minerals are an necessary element in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary jewels, to such a position that the arrangement of a number of jewels having a base with needed feldspar content. The mineralogical composition of utmost feldspar can be articulated in terms of the ternary system Orthoclase, Albite as well as Anorthite.
TYPICAL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- Silica (Sio2): 67.00% (+/-1%)
- Alumina (Al2O3): 17% (+/-0.05%)
- Potassium Oxide (K2O): 11 %( ± 0.1%)
- Sodium Oxide (Na2O): 3% (± 1%)
- Ferric Oxide (Fe2O3): 0.06% (± 0.02%)
- Loss of Ignition @ 1000°C: 0.02 %
- Colour: White and Pink
- Formula: K2O, Al2O3, SiO2
- Fineness: 150/ 200/ 250/ 300/ 500 Mesh
KEY USAGE OF POTASH FELDSPAR
Feldspar is an important part of our diurnal life and the two crucial parcels which make feldspars practical to use for downstream diligence are the vacuity of alkali and alumina content. Feldspars play an imperative part as liquefying agents in pottery and glass operations, and also are employed as functional paddings in the plastic, makeup, rubber as well as in tenacious sectors.
The principal use of Feldspar mineral is in the Ceramic and Glass diligence. lower amounts are used in the manufacturing of Penstocks, Whiteware, and Sanitaryware. Other uses of Feldspar include Catalysts, Acid resistant and ornamental Gravestone as a flux or binding agent in certain scanning detergents and artificial teeth.