Intercity Enterprises, Chennai, India is a Manufacturer and Supplier for Kaolin (China Clay) in India.
Here are some interesting facts about Kaolin:
Kaolin – The name Kaolin is derived from the original Chinese name “Kauling” meaning high ride in the small village of Gaoling in Jinagzi province, China, where the white clay was mined.
What is Kaolin made of ?
The major ingredient in kaolin is the mineral Kaolinite also known as hydrous aluminum silicate and its chemical name is: Al2Si2O5(OH)4. Kaolin is also called China clay.
What is the color of Kaolin or China clay?
White, dark brown, reddish brown from iron oxide impurities, yellow, beige. May also be gray and orange color.
India has its reserves/resources of KAOLIN in states like Kerala, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Odisha and Karnataka.
In the world the top Kaolin producers are countries like USA, China, Turkey, Brazil, Iran and Germany.
Uses of KAOLIN or CHINA CLAY
Kaolin in drug and pharma industries:
Kaolin is used for the manufacturing of cosmetics and pharmaceutical products like
face powder, talcum powder, toothpaste, tooth powder, adhesives, surgical plaster, lotion and ointment for external use and porcelain in the dental preparation.
Kaolin in paint industries:
Kaolin is used in white paint. It is also used in oil paint owing to its high oil absorption. Kaolin is used as an extender or a suspending agent in oil paints and as pigments in water paints or distempers. Kaolin has properties such as white color, easy dispersion, anti-settling and chemical inertness, which are the main criteria for its use in paint industries.
Kaolin in Ceramic industries:
The word ceramic derived from Greek word “Keramos” originally meant fired and fused common clays. The manufacturing consists of mixing China clay, quartz or silica and other types of clay, feldspar and some flux with water. This mixture is well ground, thoroughly stirred up, filtered, pressed and molded into the required shape. It is then dried and fired at a temperature raging from 1200⁰ to 1500⁰ Celsius.
Kaolin in rubber industries:
Considerable quantity of kaolin is used for filling rubbers to improve its mechanical strength and resistance to abrasion. For this purpose, the clay used must be extremely pure kaolinite and exceedingly fine grained.
Kaolin in plastic industries:
In the plastic industry, KAOLIN is used as a functional extender for adding strength, electrical resistance (important in PVC cable covers) and gloss. China Clay has Low specific gravity, fine particle size, high dispersion, poor electrical conductivity, high reflectivity, low water absorption (i.e. low shrinkage on drying) and inertness which are the important criteria for this application. In polythene film, Kaolin can enhance the absorption characteristics. During the curing process of polyester resin the intensity of the exothermic reaction is to some extent contained by china clay by virtue of its water content.
Kaolin in Paper industries:
Kaolin serves as a paper coating which enhances paper’s appearance by adding brightness, smoothness and gloss. It also improves printability. In paper industry Kaolin is used as a filler as It increases opacity, printability, gloss and brightness. Approximately 40 percent of the kaolin produced worldwide is used in the filling and coating of paper. In coating, the kaolin is plated along with an adhesive on the paper’s surface to give gloss, color, high opacity, and greater printability. Kaolin used for coating is prepared so that most of the kaolinite particles are less than two micrometers in diameter.
Other uses of Kaolin:
Kaolin is used in combination with Ochre to derive a wide range of color pigments for multiple applications.Kaolin with Red or yellow ochre is extensively used for coloring roofing tiles, concrete and slabs, cement flooring tiles, glass, ceramics, paper etc.,
Where to buy kaolin clay?
Intercity Enterprises is one of the major Manufacturers of Kaolin and the quality of Kaolin clay produced is top grade. Different grades of Kaolin (China clay) produced at Intercity Enterprises is given at the bottom.
Different types of Kaolin:
- Hydrous Kaolin
- Calcined Kaolin
- Crude Kaolin
Hydrous Kaolin:
Hydrous kaolin is formed from Crude/Raw clay by dispersing it in water and centrifuging it to remove impurities. The refined slurry is then dewatered (to reduce soluble impurities) and dried. Water-washed clays are often further treated to improve brightness. This includes chemical bleaching and/or high-intensity magnetic separation to remove iron and titanium impurities.
Calcined Kaolin:
Calcination:
To extract the water molecule and improve color, the hydrous clay is subjected to high temperatures and the process in known as calcination.
The product is termed as calcined clay. By controlling the calcination temperature, Metakaolin (600–800°C) used in concrete, Spinel – gamma-alumina type structure (925–1050°C) or Mullite Phases (>1050°C) of calcined kaolin can be produced.
Metakaolin has applications in cement, rubber, cables & ultramarine blue industries.
Spinel is used mainly for paint applications as an extender for Titanium Dioxide (TiO2); it also has a few applications for paper, ceramics, polymer and rubber industries.
Mullite is used in the ceramic industry.
KAOLINS ( China clay) at INTERCITY ENTERPRISES – Chennai, India
CRUDE (RAW) CLAY
Pink China clay
White China clay
Calcined Clay
