ALTERING THE PROPERTIES OF HEAVY CLAYS BY THE USE OF ELECTROLYTES1

Some heavy clays otherwise adaptable to industrial use have poor working properties. The possibility of altering these properties beneficially, by the addition of electrolytes to the clays, was investigated. The effects of acids and bases, or those salts which when hydrolyzed, reacted as acids or bases, gave the most promise. Physical properties were determined in the laboratory, on three clays in the green and fired states, without electrolytes and with hydrochloric acid, tannic acid, sodium carbonate, and calcium chloride. Some plant tests were also made, particularly on drying. It was found that the addition of electrolytes improved the properties of some clays, the electrolyte and amount required being individual with each clay.