Use of pectin or pectin-like material in water-based ceramics

• US 4,912,069 A
• Filed: 06/30/1988
• Issued: 03/27/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: George C. Ruben
• Original Assignee: George C. Ruben
• Inventors: Ruben, George C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hearn, Brian E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Griffis, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US07/213,874
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 501/141, 501/145, 501/148, 501/81, 501/82, 501/146
• US Class Current: 501/148
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 33/13 Compounding ingredients C04B33/36, C04B35/71 take precedence ; pigments for ceramics C09C1/0009

Abstract

The use of pectins or the pectin-like materials carboxymethylcellulose, alginic acid, tannins or orthodiphenolic compounds, as additives to clay to provide clay compositions of enhanced plasticity and stability is disclosed.

Claims

1. A clay composition consisting of a mixture of clay and alginic acid, or alginate salt, wherein the amount of alginic acid of alginate salt, is from about 0.5 to about 5.0 weight percent.

2. A clay composition of claim 1 wherein the alginic acid, or alginate salt, consists of a polysaccharide chain having from about 50 to about 5000 sugar units.

3. A clay composition of claim 2 wherein the alginic acid, or alginate salt, is partially or completely esterified.

4. A clay composition consisting of a mixture of clay and carboxymethylcellulose, or a salt thereof, wherein the amount of carboxymethylcellulose is from about 0.5 to about 5.0 weight percent.

5. A clay composition of claim 4 wherein the carboxymethylcellulose consists of a polysaccharide chain having a degree of substitution of from about 9 to about 12 carboxymethyl groups per ten glucose units.

6. A clay composition of claim 5 wherein the carboxymethylcellulose consists of a molecule having from about 40 to about 4,200 sugar units.

7. A clay composition comprising a mixture of clay and an orthodiphenolic compound, wherein the orthodiphenolic compound is added in an amount from about 1.0 to about 10.0 weight percent.

8. A clay composition comprising a mixture of clay, an orthodiphenolic compound and pectin or a pectic material.

9. A clay composition of claim 8 wherein the pectic material comprises carboxymethylcellulose or a salt thereof.

10. A clay composition of claim 8 wherein the pectic material comprises alginic acid or a salt thereof.

11. A clay composition of claim 8 wherein the clay mixture has a pH between about 3.0 to about 11.0.

12. A method of making a clay mixture, comprising the steps of:

a. mixing clay with an orthodiphenolic compound, wherein the amount of orthodiphenolic compound is between about 0.5 to 10.0 weight percent;

b. allowing the orthodiphenolic compound to react with the clay for a period of approximately one to eight weeks or longer, until the diphenol odor can no longer be detected in the clay mixture; and

c. combining the mixture obtained after step (b) with about 0.5 to about 5.0 weight percent pectin, or pectic material.

13. A method of claim 12 wherein the pectic material is carboxymethylcellulose or a salt thereof.

14. A method of claim 12 wherein the pectic material is alginic acid or a salt thereof.

15. A method of claim 12 wherein the pH of the clay mixture during step (b) is between about 3.0 and 11.0.

16. A method of claim 12 wherein the pH of the clay during step (c) is between about 1.0 to 9.0.

17. A clay composition consisting of a mixture of clay, tannin and pectin or a pectic material.

18. A clay composition of claim 17, wherein the pectic material comprises carboxymethylcellulose, or a salt thereof.

19. A clay composition of claim 17 wherein the pectic material comprises alginic acid or a salt thereof.

20. A clay composition of claim 17 wherein the clay mixture has a pH of from about 3.0 to about 11.0.