Ball clay for ceramics
Better plasticity with ball clay
Ball clay, or “plastic clay” as it is also known, is an extremely rare mineral, only found at a handful of locations around the world. It’s a kaolinitic clay made up of 20–80% kaolinite, 10–25% mica, 6–65% quartz, as well as some organic matter.
Ball clays are prized for the production of ceramics products such as sanitaryware, tableware, tiles and large surfaces, as well as for technical ceramics and electrical porcelains.
Ball clays serve primarily to control casting and plastic properties of the ceramic body and to provide cohesion and workability during production processes.
In sanitaryware, ball clay is essential for shaping the final pieces. Its main characteristics are plasticity/strength, particle size distribution, low shrinkage and rheology.
In tableware, used with kaolin, feldspar and quartz, ball clay confers high plasticity and a good white-fired color to the end product.
In wall and floor tiles as well as large surfaces, ball clays are prized for their plasticity and bonding properties.
In englobes, ball clay gives the necessary adhesion to the ceramic piece to provide sufficient coverage of the body and ensure a perfect finish.
Imerys ball clays for ceramics are characterized by their balance of properties:
- High plasticity
- High unfired mechanical strength
- Highly controlled rheological properties
- Controlled organic content
- Controlled residue
- Excellent workability
We mine and process ball clay in England, France, Thailand and the United States. We also make use of our processing platforms in India and Egypt to ensure that we produce ball clays that address the specific technical challenges of each region.
Wherever you are manufacturing, talk to our ceramics experts about how ball clay can work for you.
Key benefits
Imerys Ball clay main products
FMT
FMT is used to increase tile body plasticity when added to local clays: added to a kaolinitic white ball clay or kaolin, it allows good mechanical strength and a less coloured body.
With a favourable balance between whiteness and plasticity, FMT clay allows reducing the number of expensive whiteners like zirconium silicate. The white body formulation for the manufacturing of super-white tiles and large surfaces becomes more cost-effective with FMT.
FMT key features
- High binding effect by pressing
- High whiteness given by a high Al2O3/(Fe2O3+TiO2) ratio Al
- High consistency
TSMA and FlashTop products complete the range of plastic clays for slabs for respectively more economical and premium formulas.
Find the following TDS files at our Download Center:
TSMA
FlashTop
Powerplast (TM) 50
Saphire
Amalia CMO792
Hywhite Superb
Hymod 407
Hymod Blue
Hyplas Prime
Find the above TDS files at our Download Center.
Old Mine #4
Old Mine #4 - is a fine-grained ball clay with excellent plasticity and strength that is widely used as a suspension aid in glazes.
Bright Coatings 2
Bright Coatings 2 - is a high-quality ball clay formulated specifically for engobe to maximize opacity and fired colour while providing a flat, smooth surface.
Tennessee #10
Tennessee #10 - is an intermediate-grained, low organic ball clay for ceramic glazes.
TN Stone
TN Stone - is an intermediate-grained ball clay with good pressing and firing characteristics making this clay an ideal choice for light body porcelain tile applications.
Super Strength #2
Super Strength #2 - is a fine-grained high strength ball clay with a combination of high plasticity and low carbon making it an excellent choice for large format porcelain tile.
RR-1
RR-1 - is a fine-grained high strength and plasticity clay designed to meet the green requirements of large format porcelain tile.
Milby
Milby - is a fine-grained ball clay known for its excellent fired colour and strength.
Hycast VC
Hycast VC is a versatile clay, combining good performance in all aspects that are important for ball clays:
- Medium dry mechanical strength
- Medium casting rate
- Stable rheology given by the presence of organic species.
Hycast Plastic
- Good drainage: the good rheological properties of Hycast Plastic enables a clean draining slip therefore it eliminates slip hang up which is a fundamental cause of cracking.
- High MoR: a strong clay ensures less damage when handling the pieces
- Plasticity: important for the finishing of the cast piece (cutting and punching), the forming of the piece and resisting the stresses that occur in the body during drying
The range of ball clays for sanitaryware is completed with specific products:
- Hycast LR - having a low residue
- Hycast Rapide - for an increased casting rate combined with a good mechanical strength. This grade particularly fits the specific requirements in High-Pressure Casting units.
- Vigor CA range - fully refined clays
Find these products' TDS files at our Download Center.
Old Mine #4
Old Mine #4 is a fine-grained ball clay with excellent plasticity and strength that is very popular in both casting and plastic formed bodies. It is also widely used as a suspension aid in glazes.
Todd Light
Todd Light is a fine-grained ball clay providing excellent strength and plasticity.
Old Mine #4/SB
Old Mine #4/SB is a fine-grained ball clay that is an exceptional casting product with high plasticity and green strength characteristics.
Jackson
Jackson is a fine-grained, high alumina ball clay known for its excellent fired colour, strength and plasticity used in both casting and plastic formed bodies.
L-1
L-1 is a coarse-grained, fast casting ball clay used exclusively in casting bodies.
Hycast Rapide
Hycast Rapide offers an increased casting rate combined with a good mechanical strength. This grade particularly fits the specific requirements in High-Pressure Casting units.
Vigor DV73
Find these TDS files at our Download Center.
Imerys offers a full range of minerals and technical solutions specific to fine fireclay (FFC), a growing part of sanitaryware production reflecting the trend towards bigger and more complex shapes.
Our solutions allow for:
- Reduced shrinkage
- Less cracking
- Less deformation
- Large pieces
- Higher production yield
Imerys fine fireclay (FFC) prepared bodies help maintain a lower viscosity reducing the risks of breakage during de-moulding and drying processes. For decades, Imerys fluid ball clays, kaolins with high casting concentrations and chamottes have proved over the years to be the right combination for FFC production.
Hycast FFC
Imerys’ Hycast FFC reference is a shredded ball clay specifically blended for Fine Fireclay production which is valued for its main features:
- Good fluid properties enabling the preparation of high-density slips
- Higher silica content helping the production of a fired piece with a high thermal expansion and enabling a strong body/glaze fit
Find related TDS files at our Download Center.
Todd Light
Todd Light is a fine-grained ball clay providing excellent strength and plasticity.
J-2
J-2 is a fine-grained ball clay with good plasticity and strength. It is particularly noted for its exceptional white firing characteristics.
Tennessee #5
Tennessee #5 is particularly known for its fast casting properties, making it ideal for tableware applications.
Related applications
