DISPERSANTS During the manufacture of ceramic products, energy costs have a considerable share in the overall expenses of the final product. Deflocculating additives help to save water and energy resources, and to increase the production output. The slip properties (viscosity, thixotropic behaviour, structural viscosity, dilatancy, rheopexy and Newtonian flow behaviour) can be adjusted according to the customer’s requirements.
During the manufacture of ceramic products, energy costs have a considerable share in the overall expenses of the final product. Deflocculating additives help to save water and energy resources, and to increase the production output. The slip properties (viscosity, thixotropic behaviour, structural viscosity, dilatancy, rheopexy and Newtonian flow behaviour) can be adjusted according to the customer’s requirements.
Pressing agents and lubricants are used in pressing and in plastic bodies, where they optimise the shaping properties. They reduce internal friction of the body, leading to a more homogeneous compaction and, thus, contributing to a reduction of microstructural tensions. Friction between the article and the mould wall is reduced. An increase in effective mould life is, therefore, possible. The sticking tendencies of the body to the mould wall can also be decreased. In the compaction of spray granulates, pressing agents can further act as softeners, so that during pressing, a simple breakdown of the residual granulate structures becomes possible.
If a composition does not contain sufficient plastic raw materials with binding properties, the temporary binders can be utilised to increase the green and dry breaking strength of the body, as well as to improve the edge strength. This is necessary for the handling ability of the shaped articles in the subsequent technological processes and the safe intra-company transport. Temporary binders can be used for plastic shaping via extrusion, dry pressing as well as for the production of spray dried or build-up granulates.
Release agents are generally applied onto the mould, where they act as a lubricating and separating agent between the moulded component and the mould. To reduce friction between the extruder screw and die during the extrusion process, the release agents can be already mixed into the bodies during preparation. Compared to the conventional mineral oils, the ZUSOPLAST O types are characterised by a strongly reduced odour nuisance. Additives without oil mist formation are available for the spraying process.
