Technological Characterization and Comparison of Two Ceramic Clays Used for Manufacturing of Traditional Ceramic Products in Turkey

In the present investigation, two different clay samples from the region of Menemen (İzmir) and the region of Kınık (Bilecik) were characterized by mineralogical, chemical and thermal analyses and different technological tests. The drying sensitivity of the clay bodies was also studied bydetermining Drying Sensitivity Index. The results revealed that the Menemen Clay (MC) composed of kaolinite and muscovite clay minerals whereas Kınık Clay (KC) consists mostly of clinochlore and muscovite. The MC contains about 50% clay minerals and 35.71% quartz whereas the KC has about 41% clay minerals and 50% quartz. As a result of this composition, the firing shrinkage and total shrinkage values of the MC were higher than that of the KC. On the other hand, the KC presents a higher value of plasticity index (PI) than the MC. On the evaluation of drying sensitivity of two ceramic muds, it was concluded that the KC has the less Drying Sensitivity Index (DSI) (0.75) value than the MC (0.84).