What is Porcelain Tile? A Scientific Approach
By: Susan Potts
Simply put, porcelain tile is generally classified as:
“Stoneware tile that is highly vitrified”
or
“Tile that is impervious”
Porcelain tiles are an upgrade of red clay, single-filed tiles that are considered an upgrade of white clay single-filed tiles.
The three major differences between these technologies [according to regulations:]
Firing Temperatures: Porcelain tiles must be below 0.5%
Red and White Clay Tiles vary from 0.5% to 10%
Breaking Strength: Porcelain tile tolerances: about 3915 pound per square inch
Red and White Clay tiles: about 3190 pound per square inch
Water Absorption: Porcelain tiles must be below 0.5%
Red and White Clay Tiles vary from 0.5% to 10%
Porcelain tiles require much higher-quality raw materials, because of the differences listed above.
In the last several years, raw material percentages have been changing; this is to accommodate quicker production times, modern technologies, manufacturers’ product mixes, and market competition. Here is the scientific formula:
Quartz Tile:
Considered the “skeleton” or framework of the structure of the porcelain tiles.
Was between 10% to 20% in terms of weight, now between 5% to 10%
Feldspar [group of rock-forming minerals:]
Considered the “blood,” which during Vitrification [this occurs as a result of exposing silica or stone to extreme heat] and it is capable of closing the pores in this process.
Was between 25% to 35% in terms of weight; now between 20% to 48%
Plastic Clays and Clay Tile:
Considered the “muscles” and it provides plasticity and workability, due to their water molecules. They are also known as ‘ball clays.’ They are divided into the following clays: Clorite clays [chlorite is not always part of the clays, and is sometimes left alone within a relatively large and common mineral group. Also “chlorite” is used to denote any member of the group when separation between the other minerals isn’t possible.]
Illite clays [the mineral Illite is a significant rock forming mineral, and variable of water molecules lie adjacent to each other in terms of the stacking sequence.]
Kaolinite clays [there are 3 members within this mineral group; they have the same chemistry, but different structures. The general structure is composed between silicate sheets bonded together with only weak bonding existing between the sequence.]
Was between 10% and 20%, in terms of weight; now between 27% and 32%
Carbonates:
Carbonates are any member of a mineral family that contains the carbonate ion, CO2-3 as the basic structural unit. They are the most widely distributed minerals in the earth’s crust. Their most common minerals include Calcite [a common crystalline form that’s the basic ingredient of limestone, marble and chalk,] Dolomite [a white or light-colored mineral, which is a construction or ceramic material,] and Aragonite [a naturally-occurring mineral form that’s slightly harder, and is found in low locations near the surface of the earth near caves and rock sediments.]
In closing, this is the scientific approach and formula that makes up porcelain tile.
