What Is the Role of Adding CMC Gum Solution for Ceramics in Ceramic Production?

Role in Ceramic Body

CMC gum solution for ceramics has a unique linear polymer structure. When CMC gum solution for ceramics is added to water, its hydrophilic groups bind with water to form a solvation layer, causing CMC molecules to gradually disperse in water. The hydrogen bonds and Van der Waals forces between CMC polymers form a network structure, manifesting as adhesiveness. CMC gum solution for ceramics can be used in the ceramic industry as a molding agent, plasticizer, and reinforcing agent for the body.

The specific roles are as follows:

• Low dosage, significantly enhances the green body's flexural strength;

  
  

• Increases green body processing speed, reduces production energy consumption;

  
  

• Good burning loss properties, no residue after burning, does not affect body color;

  
  

• Facilitates process operations, prevents defects like glaze crawling and lack of glaze;

  
  

• Provides a coagulation-breaking effect, improves glaze slurry fluidity, making glaze spraying easier;

  
  

• Acts as a body shaping agent, increases the plasticity of clay materials, facilitating body molding;

  
  

• Strong resistance to mechanical wear, with minimal molecular chain damage during ball milling and mechanical stirring;

  
  

• As a reinforcing agent for the body, increases the green body's flexural strength, improves body stability, and reduces breakage rates;

  
  

• Strong suspension and dispersal properties, prevents the aggregation of refractory materials and color slurry particles, ensuring uniform slurry dispersion;

  
  

• Ensures even evaporation of moisture in the body, preventing drying cracks. This is especially effective for large-sized floor tile bodies and polished tile bodies.

Role in Ceramic Glaze Slurry

CMC gum solution for ceramics belongs to the category of polymer electrolytes and mainly acts as a binder in glaze slurry, while also serving a suspending function. When CMC gum solution for ceramics is added to glaze slurry, water infiltrates the CMC gum solution blocks, binding with the hydrophilic groups, causing water absorption and expansion. 

Meanwhile, the interior of the gum particles undergo hydration and expansion, forming a binding water layer on the exterior. In the initial dissolution phase, the gum particles are free in the gum solution. Due to asymmetric size and shape, the Van der Waals forces cause them to systematically approach each other, eventually forming a network structure with a large volume, thus exhibiting strong adhesion capabilities.

The specific roles are as follows:

• Effectively regulates glaze slurry rheology at low dosages, facilitating glazing;

  
  

• Improves body-glaze bonding performance, significantly enhancing glaze surface strength and preventing glaze detachment;

  
  

• High fineness on the glaze surface, stable glaze slurry, and reduces glaze surface pinholes after sintering;

  
  

• Excellent dispersion and protective colloid properties, maintaining a stable dispersion state for the glaze slurry;

  
  

• Effectively increases glaze material surface tension, preventing water from diffusing into the body from the glaze material, increasing the smoothness of the glaze surface;

  
  

• Prevents cracking and printing breakage during transport due to decreased body strength after glazing.

  
  

Role in Ceramic Printing Glaze

CMC gum solution for ceramics has good solubility, high solution transparency, and almost no insoluble substances. It has excellent shear thinning and lubricity, greatly improving the printability and post-processing effect of printing glaze. Additionally, when used in ceramic printing glaze, it has good thickening, dispersing, and stabilizing effects.

The specific roles are as follows:

• Good printing rheology ensures smooth printing;

  
  

• Printed patterns are clear and consistent in color;

  
  

• High fineness of solution, good lubricity, and excellent usage effect;

  
  

• Good water solubility, almost no insolubles, does not clog screens;

  
  

• High solution transparency and good screen penetration;

  
  

• Excellent shear thinning improves the printability of the printing glaze.

  
  

Role in Ceramic Infiltration Glaze

Infiltration glazes contain a large amount of soluble salts and are slightly acidic. CMC gum solution for ceramics has excellent acid and salt resistance, maintaining the infiltration glaze's viscosity during use and storage, preventing color differences due to viscosity changes, and greatly improving the stability of the infiltration glaze.

The specific roles are as follows:

• Good solubility, does not clog screens, good screen penetration;

  
  

• Good compatibility with glaze materials, stabilizing the glaze;

  
  

• Excellent acid and alkali resistance, salt resistance, and stability, ensuring stable viscosity of the infiltration glaze;

  
  

• Good solution leveling performance and stable viscosity, preventing color differences due to viscosity changes.