Clay, in English called clay, is very interesting to study because as a ceramic raw material, clay experiencing complex stages to become a ceramic object that is hard and strong. The clay is soft unik.Teksturnya land and have special properties that plastis.Bukan because the clay contains a lot of water, but it is the molecular structure of the clay has a regular arrangement and particle shape of hexagonal sheets (hexagonal) flat and stacked.
Figure 1. Clay is a natural
When these particles are mixed with water, then the water will act as a lubricant that fills the space antarpartikel. This is what causes the plastic properties of clay and not patahpatah. This structure is very different from misalnya.Tanah sand sandy soil has a structure that is irregular, so the sandy soil is very difficult to set up because it is not due to the nature platisnya plastis.Oleh the clay can be formed as desired.
The clay can be formed cylindrical or hemispherical. If do not have a good Platis properties, soil-or substance so on will be difficult to form curved with no broken or cracked. This is one of the unique and special nature of clay. Clay as the main ingredient manufacture of ceramic objects terdapatdi almost all parts of the world.However Thus, the clay has a different nature-bedasatu each other.
Clay that can be used for the manufacture of ceramic objects must meet certain requirements. One of the properties of clay needed to be made of ceramic objects is to have a working power that allows the clay to be molded and can retain its shape up to be a ceramic object through a heating process (incineration). Clay is a plastic material that can be turned into a hard and resistant to water after experiencing the process of drying and burning.
There are several types of clay which can be directly used for the manufacture of ceramic objects, while others must be purified in advance or to be mixed with other materials that can be used to make ceramic objects. Examples of clay which can be used directly without mixing with other materials is clay Earthenware and stoneware, porcelain, while soil types must be mixed with other plastic materials (such as: ballclay or bentonite) to be easily formed.
Clay and other non-metallic inorganic minerals is a natural product which is the raw material for making ceramic objects such as: the food and beverage, building materials, refractory materials, electronic tools, objects of art, crafts and so on.