Ball Clay Supplier in Malaysia: Ceramic and Refractory Grades
- Also known as
- Plastic Clay
- Ceramic Ball Clay
Ball clay supplier for ceramic, sanitaryware, tile and refractory manufacturers in Malaysia. Also called plastic clay, ball clay is a secondary sedimentary kaolinitic clay whose fine particle size and high plasticity give a body the workability and green strength that primary clays do not.
Commercial forms include air-floated powder for dry body blending, shredded material for blunging into slip, and grades selected for casting behaviour or refractory bonding. Buyers specify on plasticity, particle size distribution, fired colour and iron and titania content.
Ceramic producers blend ball clay with kaolin, feldspar and quartz in tableware, sanitaryware, electrical porcelain and tile bodies. Refractory makers use it as a bonding clay in mixes, kiln furniture and monolithics, and smaller studio quantities are also quoted.
Send the required grade or form, the body it goes into, target properties, quantity and delivery location with your enquiry. Availability, pack format, documentation and delivery timing are confirmed with the quotation.
- Grade
- air-floated, shredded
- Appearance
- cream to grey fine clay powder or shredded lumps
Ball Clay grades and forms
We supply several forms to suit different formulating and dosing setups. If you need a size that is not listed, ask us.
| Grade | Form | Assay | Typical use | Packing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air-floated ball clay | fine processed powder | — | Tableware, sanitaryware and tile bodies where a consistent, screened powder is blended dry with kaolin, feldspar and quartz. | Confirm the required pack format with the quotation. |
| Shredded ball clay | shredded lumps | — | Slip and casting bodies prepared by blunging, where the clay is dispersed in water rather than dry blended. | Confirm the required pack format with the quotation. |
| Casting slip grade | fine powder for slip preparation | — | Sanitaryware and hollow-ware casting slips, selected for casting rate, deflocculation response and green strength on release from the mould. | Confirm the required pack format with the quotation. |
| Refractory grade ball clay | powder or lumps | — | Bonding clay in refractory mixes, kiln furniture and monolithics, where plasticity aids forming and the fired body must survive service temperature. | Confirm the required pack format with the quotation. |
How to buy ball clay from ChemTrade
Request a quote for ball clay
Use the form below to request a quotation. You can also email sales@chemtrademalaysia.com or send us a message on WhatsApp.
Specifications
| Parameter | Value | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | cream to grey fine powder or shredded lumps, firing to a lighter body | — |
| Mineralogy | sedimentary kaolinitic clay with secondary mica, quartz and organic matter | — |
| Solubility | insoluble in water; disperses to a plastic mass or slip | — |
| Working property | high plasticity and high green strength relative to primary kaolin | — |
| Grade controls | plasticity, particle size distribution, fired colour and iron and titania content confirmed against the required grade | — |
Ball Clay applications
Safety and handling
Store dry, off the floor and under cover, and keep bags closed so the clay stays free of moisture and contamination. Control airborne dust when handling powder grades and follow the safety information for the quoted grade.
Common questions about ball clay
What is the difference between ball clay and kaolin?
They are different clays bought for different reasons. Kaolin is a primary white clay with low plasticity, used for whiteness and fired colour, while ball clay is a secondary sedimentary clay that is far more plastic and contributes workability and green strength. Most ceramic bodies use both, so specify each by name in the enquiry.
Which ball clay form should be requested for a casting slip?
Shredded or slip-grade material is normally chosen where the clay is blunged into water, since it disperses readily. Air-floated powder suits dry body blending and pressing. State the preparation route and the casting behaviour required so the closer grade can be offered.
Why does ball clay improve green strength in a ceramic body?
Its fine platy particles and its plasticity let a formed piece hold shape through handling, drying and glazing before firing. That is why bodies for tableware, sanitaryware and tile pair a plastic clay with a less plastic primary clay rather than using one alone.
Can ball clay be used in refractory mixes?
Yes. It is used as a bonding clay in refractory mixes, kiln furniture and monolithics, giving the unfired mix enough plasticity to form and enough strength to handle. Describe the service temperature and the mix design so a suitable grade can be discussed.
What specifications should a buyer provide for ball clay?
Name the body or process, the forming route, and any limits your formulation already works to for plasticity, particle size, fired colour or iron and titania content. If a specification is already in production, include it or ask for a representative sample.
Are smaller quantities of ball clay available for studio pottery?
Enquiries from studios and small workshops are welcome alongside industrial tonnage. State the grade, quantity and pack format you need, and the enquiry can be answered on that basis.
What details are needed for a ball clay price enquiry?
Provide the grade or form, application, target properties, quantity and delivery location, plus any documentation and pack format preference. That is enough for a quotation with a stated validity period.