Apparently invisible. Chemistry in ceramics.

This episode addresses the control of bacterial contamination in ceramic processes, a factor that is often invisible yet crucial for the stability of compounds and the quality of the final product. In a production context characterized by the unavoidable presence of organic substances, bacteria can rapidly proliferate, altering rheological properties and causing application defects.The episode analyzes the main intervention strategies, distinguishing between sanitizers, biocides, and preservatives, and presents the role of the PREVENTOL range in controlling contamination throughout the entire process.

This episode explores the technological development of temporary binders for the ceramic industry, starting from the TENACER range developed by Zschimmer & Schwarz. In today’s ceramic manufacturing environment—marked by large-format tiles, ultra-thin slabs, super white bodies with high glass content, and increasing variability in raw materials—maintaining the mechanical strength of the green body has become a key factor for ensuring both process stability and final product quality.The podcast introduces the main product lines within the TENACER range, outlining their different technological approaches and formulation strategies, while also highlighting the industrial considerations that guide their application in production environments.The episode also addresses several critical aspects of the ceramic process, including how additives interact with other production variables, the issue of black core formation, rheological behavior, and typical dosage ranges. Overall, it emphasizes that the effectiveness of binders is never determined by the additive alone, but rather by the careful balance between formulation choices and process conditions.

The pivotal role of rheological additives in ceramic processes: how deflocculants and binders shape the stability, viscosity, and workability of ceramic suspensions.The discussion explores particle interactions, colloidal stability, the electric double layer, and the main electrostatic and steric stabilization mechanisms.The goal is to highlight how the right use of additives can optimize production processes and enhance the quality of the final ceramic product.

In ceramic manufacturing, aqueous suspensions play a crucial role in shaping processes and determining the final quality of products.However, foam formation can disrupt production, leading to defects and lower efficiency.This episode dives into the world of foaming phenomena, exploring how they arise and how they affect the properties of suspensions. We discuss surfactants, which can encourage foam formation, and defoamers, which help keep it under control.What key insights are needed to effectively manage these challenges?

What is rheology and what is it used for?This episode answers exactly these questions. Without delving into complex details, it presents a few key concepts to help navigate topics such as viscosity, material behavior, and process control.It’s a first step toward understanding the practical role of rheology in improving quality and production efficiency. In ten minutes.

The electrical conductivity of water is a key parameter in industrial production processes, as it reflects the amount of dissolved ions that can directly impact the stability and efficiency of operations.When conductivity levels go unchecked, they can compromise the quality of the final product, cause corrosion in equipment, or alter the reactivity of the materials used.In this episode, we explore why continuous monitoring is essential and what strategies companies adopt to keep conductivity within optimal limits.We discuss not only direct treatments like reverse osmosis and deionization, but also indirect approaches: the use of additives and rheological modifiers can help mitigate the negative effects of high conductivity, ensuring more stable processes and more reliable end products.Zs_lab, educational, Zschimmer&Schwarz, Tiles, Ceramco, Chemistry, Ceramics,

Digital printing has transformed the ceramic industry, opening the door to highly sophisticated, versatile, and customizable designs.At the core of this shift are ceramic digital printers—advanced machines that use inkjet technology to precisely apply both functional and decorative materials.While the focus is often on inks and printing performance, there’s another category of fluids working quietly behind the scenes: maintenance fluids.Though they don't directly impact the final aesthetic result, they play a vital role in keeping printers running smoothly and extending their lifespan.In this episode, we explore three key types of maintenance fluids: cleaners, stand-by fluids, and model fluids—each essential for ensuring reliable and consistent digital printing performance.

This episode takes inspiration from the thesis work of the Head of Research at Zschimmer & Schwarz Ceramco. The goal is not to focus on the specific topic explored in that study (in this case, the well-known issue of the "black core"), but rather to highlight the research methodology and the meticulous, in-depth work that takes place every day in the laboratories of chemical companies serving the ceramic manufacturing industry.Although it begins in an academic context, the process described closely mirrors the structured, methodical approach followed by laboratory professionals in real-world industrial settings.

After more than fifty episodes exploring topics of general interest—always through the lens of chemistry and ceramic production—we’ve decided to have some fun.We posed a few simple questions to artificial intelligence, asking it to write a short text about chemistry with complete freedom to choose the themes and highlights.The result? Amusing, sometimes absurd—mostly accurate, but not always.As we know, Large Language Models (the technology behind AI’s ability to understand and generate text) can produce content that sounds convincing and is often correct, yet it’s not immune to errors or even clichés. With so much information available online, inaccuracies are just a step away.That’s why it’s essential to keep in mind that this is, above all, an experiment—and, let’s not forget, just a bit of fun!

Industrial productivity is a top priority for any manufacturing enterprise, regardless of its field of operation.The ceramic industry, too, must adhere to rules and parameters that enhance productivity while avoiding any form of waste.However, process interruptions—representing the most extreme scenarios—can be triggered by numerous factors and can occur at various stages along the production line.Even the digital printing process, including all the micro-processes that occur immediately before and after the printer, can be prone to issues that, in the most severe cases, lead to machine downtime.This discussion explores some of the most representative critical scenarios related to the topic, providing an overview of preventive actions that can be implemented to mitigate such risks.

Suspending agents belong to a broad category of additives whose primary purpose is to provide ceramic suspensions (slips, glazes, engobes, or frits) with good internal stability, counteracting potential sedimentation phenomena.Available in both liquid and solid forms, these products act within the suspension to ensure the right balance.There are various mechanisms that can be employed to properly maintain the solid phase of the mixture in suspension.Among these, the most significant are about viscosity, electrostatic repulsion, and concentration (solid/liquid ratio).This episode, after reviewing the properties of suspending agents, focuses on these three main tools, delving into the reasons and mechanisms behind each, also considering the application systems through which suspensions are deposited onto the ceramic substrate—a detail that can significantly influence the type of suspending agent to be used.

The topic of non-planar surfaces, which develop on multiple micro-levels and are sometimes improperly identified as 3D surfaces, plays a crucial role in giving ceramic surfaces not only a more natural appearance but also a broader and more extensive expressive potential.This is not a new requirement: it took its first steps with the help of traditional technologies, but it has found new momentum with the arrival of the latest digital techniques.The episode offers an overview of the main methodologies currently used to achieve textured surfaces, delving into the chemical mechanisms that occur on the surface and contribute to producing the desired effects.