NCECA 2014: James Ferrante

• Texas A&M – Corpus Christi

• Louis Katz (he is in Thailand)

• please vote for me for SDAL

Use of Soluble Salts as Surface TreatmentsJames (Alex) Ferrante

Needed vocabulary:

– Soluble in water: breaks down in water to form a homogenous liquid , like salt or sugar

– The solubility in water: The amount of material that can be held in solution

– Saturated solution: A solution that has the maximum amount dissolved in it.

• Use of Soluble Salts as surface treatments

• CaCl2 Calcium Chloride

• MgSO4 Epsom Salts

• Al2(SO4)3 Aluminum Sulphate

• FeSO4 Iron Sulphate a.k.a. Copperas, Ferrous Sulphate

Sources

•CaCl2 Calcium Chloride – Ice Melt (cheap), Damp Rid $$

•MgSO4 Epsom Salts -Pharmacy

•Al2(SO4)3 Aluminum Sulphate- Nursery

•FeSO4 Iron Sulphate- Nursery

• Unusual Cone 10 Clay Bodies Sources

“Bizen Stoneware”– 1 Redart, 1 EPK, 1 C&C Ball Clay

“Newman Bizen”– 1 Newman, 1 EPK, 1 C&C Ball Clay

Wadding– 50 Kaolin, 50 White Sand

Straight Kentucky Stone– Is going to have a high drying shrinkage

Straight Green Stripe– Worried about Cristobalite

Straight Newman Red Substitute– To much thermal expansion for normal cone 10

glazes, it cracks.

Simple punky white bodies

1.EPK 2, Silica Sand 1

2.EPK 9, Custer Spar 1

Simple Class StonewareSimple Class Stoneware

•2 Fireclay2 Fireclay

•1 ball clay1 ball clay

•10% Feldspar10% Feldspar

Scumming

•Calcium Sulphate

•Barium Carbonate

•BaCO3 + CaSO4 CaCO➜ 3 + BaSO4

Teaism

Archie Bray Brick Clay + fireclay

Suwanee Natewong, carvingNote Scumming

Teaism

Yellow/Green from Calcium scum

Yellow/Green from Calcium scum

Teaism

Less scum on the edge of Class Stoneware

Calcium Chloride Scum

Newman Clay straight Cone 6 Oxidation

Teaism

• Contact

Aluminum Sulphate& Iron Sulphate

Iron Sulphate

12 FeSO4 + 3 O2 → 4 Fe2(SO4)3 + 2 Fe2O3

Calcium Chloride can be used strong

Epsom salts cannot be used strong

Iron Sulphate Oxidizes over time. It should not be stirred.

Aluminum Sulphate is just scummy unless used on well melted bodies.

Safety 1

No eating these things.

Keep them out of your eyes. Safety Glasses.

Iron Sulphate is a poison. Iron is the largest single poisoning agent of children in the world.They make Acid vapors when fired. Vent your kiln.

• Safety 2

• Do not mix these compounds with acids, Boric Acid.....

• Consult your safety expert, and MSDS sheets. I am not a safety expert.

• They are all corrosive.

• Contacts: Txferrante@gmail.com Louis.katz@tamucc.edu

• Handout and this powerpoint: http://louiskatz.net/salts

• http://Jamesalexanderferrante.com