apparently invisible. chemistry in ceramics. by Zschimmer & Schwarz Ceramco
Last Updated: September 6, 2026
Aware of how complex the problems related to the world of chemistry applied to ceramic production processes can be, we want to share our knowledge with those who want to orient themselves or train for passion or profession.
Through a simple and direct language, the podcast aims to be an educational space with a focus on products, applications and processes.
The journey unfolds along the ceramic production lines.
At each stage a topic.
At each topic a critical issue.
At each critical issue, when possible, a solution.
Through a simple and direct language, the podcast aims to be an educational space with a focus on products, applications and processes.
The journey unfolds along the ceramic production lines.
At each stage a topic.
At each topic a critical issue.
At each critical issue, when possible, a solution.
Semi-finished media for solvent-based glues, inks and digital effects production
Producing digital inks, glues and ink effects for ceramic decoration is a highly sophisticated process that relies on the careful integration of multiple formulation components. Achieving consistent performance, long-term stability and reliable production quality requires the use of a range of specialized additives, each playing a critical role in ensuring proper product functionality and processability.
Technological evolution of ceramic grit binders
Ceramic grit binders are often regarded as simple fixing agents, but their role within the production process is far more complex.
Sanitizing, biocides and preservatives: the role of the PREVENTOL range
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.
Chemical product labelling: a practical guide
Chemical product labelling plays a key role in ensuring safety and regulatory compliance across the entire industrial value chain. In this episode, we explore the European regulatory framework, focusing on how CLP, REACH and BPR interact, and how together they balance health protection, environmental safety and market access.
Tenacer: Z&S temporary binders
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.
Water-based digital glues by Z&S: development, technology, and application
Zschimmer & Schwarz did not enter the water-based digital adhesives arena overnight; its position today is built on more than a decade of dedicated research, hands-on industrial testing, and continuous product refinement.
Rheological additives in ceramics: principles, functions and role
The pivotal role of rheological additives in ceramic processes: how deflocculants and binders shape the stability, viscosity, and workability of ceramic suspensions.
On black cores and degassing: analyzing a defect
This episode provides a quick overview of the “black core” effect—an internal discoloration in porcelain tiles, typically caused by incomplete oxidation of the ceramic body due to trapped organic residues.
Bubbles, surfactants, and defoamers
In ceramic manufacturing, aqueous suspensions play a crucial role in shaping processes and determining the final quality of products.
Cratering phenomena and ceramic glazes: in short
A closer look at one of the most common flaws that can affect both the performance and the appearance of ceramic glaze.
Rheology in a nutshell: fundamentals, applications, and role
What is rheology and what is it used for?
Wetting agents: functions and applications in the ceramic industry
Wettability is, in general terms, the property that describes a liquid's ability to adhere to a solid surface.
Water conductivity and industrial processes
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.
Chemicals for ceramic glazes: the grinding phase
In this episode, we dive into the essential role of chemical additives used during the grinding phase of ceramic glazes—a crucial step that sets the stage for successful application on the glazing line.
Maintenance fluids and ceramic digital printers: cleaner, stand-by fluid, and model fluid
Digital printing has transformed the ceramic industry, opening the door to highly sophisticated, versatile, and customizable designs.
Temporary binders: functions and actions
In the world of ceramics, temporary binders play a crucial role in improving the cohesion and workability of slips.
Behind the scenes of innovation: exploring the challenges and methodology behind the development of chemical auxiliaries
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.
Top glaze: what it is, what it is used for, and how to apply it
In the ceramic field, a “top glaze” refers to the glaze applied as the final layer onto the unfired ceramic substrate.
Chimic-A.I. – Chemistry Through the Eyes of Artificial Intelligence. A Playful Experiment
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.
Melting materials and ceramic production: what they are and what they are for
Melting materials used in ceramics, often in glazes and digital glues, are capable of lowering the melting point of a material or compound, thus accelerating the sintering process.
Ceramic production and digital processes: productivity, challenges, and preventive actions
Industrial productivity is a top priority for any manufacturing enterprise, regardless of its field of operation.
Reverse Osmosis: problems and solutions in water treatment
Water is one of the most widely used natural resources in numerous applications and across various sectors of industrial production.
Suspending agents: nature, function, and chemical-physical principles
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.
Complexing agents and ceramic production: what they are and how they work
Complexing agents are capable of catching multivalent cations present in suspension to prevent them from negatively affecting the ceramic process.
Relief surfaces and ceramic production (3D effects): methods and techniques
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.
Preparatory stages of the digital printing process: from files to ceramic support
In the previous episode (#45) we discussed the technical aspects of digital printing systems in relation to ceramic bricks.
Digital printing: opportunities and challEnges in heavy clay ceramics
At present, in the heavy clay industry, products are decorated mainly by applying engobe with the aid of scattered granules or by means of reduction effects created by the firing process.
Operating temperature & ceramic production
The operating temperature is an important parameter that ceramic producers must take into account in order to avoid application problems that can also negatively affect the quality of the finished product.
Chemicals for ceramic production: a focus on deflocculant and binders
Most ceramic production processes involve the dispersion of ceramic powders in a liquid medium - mostly water - to obtain a suspension or, more generally, a dispersed system.
Analysis of ceramic suspensions: tools and purposes
All analysis of ceramic suspensions carried out by those companies that supply chemicals for ceramic production are fundamental to properly develop the processes that take place along the production line.
Chemicals & seasonality: problems and suggestions
After addresing the impact that seasonality can have on the the fluidization of ceramic mixtures and on bacterial proliferation within semi-finished products, this second part of the episode 41 tries to show and explain the consequences that temperature changes may produce on the drying time of ceramic suspension, leading to alterations that often force producers to revise the parameters of the glazing line.
Chemicals & seasonality: problems and suggestions
In ceramics, the use of chemicals plays a fundamental role in providing the final product with high technical and aesthetic results and in promoting a proper application process.
Glaze and grit suspensions: differences & similarities
Glaze and grit suspensions are made up of a liquid part (usually made-up of water and one or more rheological chemicals) and a dispersed solid part.
Cratering phenomena: what they are, how they develop and how to manage them
Cratering phenomena are defects that appear as microscopic craters on the surface of ceramic bodies on which an aqueous (and still drying) suspension has been discharged.
Carboxymethylcellulose: what is it for & how to use it?
CMC are organic compounds, water-soluble polymers derived from cellulose, widely used in several fields of industrial production. In ceramics, sodium CMCs perform multiple functions within suspensions and solutions and can be marked by very different properties depending on the situation.
Plasticity of ceramic mixtures: values and application fields
The plasticity values of ceramic mixtures is a very important issue, since it affects the values and features of the mix and therefore the proper development of the ceramic production process.
How to improve the printing definition of digital inks?
In ceramics, digital technology (use of digital glues and digital inks) has definitely riform the sector, making the production process much more flexible and expanding creative and aesthetic possibilities.
Scanning Electron Microscope & ceramic production
Scanning Electron Microscope is a sophisticated tool used in many fields of scientific research, even in ceramics.
Sodium silicate & deflocculation of ceramic mixtures
Sodium silicate is an inorganic substance that at room temperature it is in solid state.
Ceramic firing cycle, emissions and chemism of digital inks
Polluting and odor emissions are two important critical issues that producers have been looking for some time with considerable attention.
Foam formation within ceramic glazes: how to deal with it?
Among the several issues that may arise along the glazing line, the excessive foaming within glaze suspensions is one of the most frequent and problematic.
Ceramic glaze application & technical defects: the tv effect
Speaking of ceramic glaze applications and technical defects, one of the strangest and most interesting is the "TV effect".
Excessive viscosity of the slip: causes & remedies
Viscosity (or viscous friction coefficient) measures a substance attitude on generating friction between its layers. In other words, it defines the resistance of the fluid to its proper flow.
Glazes/engobes bacterial degradations: technical & aesthetic consequences
All process water involved in ceramic production, both tap and well waters, usually contains bacteria.
Digital inks & ceramic production: what do we need to know
Thanks to the digitalization of some of its processes, the ceramic industry has evolved pretty significantly over the last few years, and in this perspective the digital printing system plays one of the most important roles.
Ceramic glazes, surface tension & chemicals
Ceramic slips & rheological behavior
In general, wet grinding systems offer best performances and best production results only when the chemical and physical features of slips are constant over the duration of the entire process.
Formaldehyde, ceramic production & environmental impact
Formaldehyde, despite its wide use in many fields of the industrial production, in high percentage may be a serious problem.
Ceramic suspensions & rheological behavior
Rheology is the science that deals with the flow and the strain rate of matter.
Deflocculation of ceramic mixtures
The episode focuses on the flocculation phenomena of ceramic mixtures.
Ceramic glazes, dusting phenomena & digital printing decoration
The lack of cohesion that occurs not only between the glaze’s particles but also between the glaze and the raw ceramic support can lead to a problem commonly called "dusting phenomenon". This kind of glaze, that we could define as fragile, is easily removable from the ceramic surface, especially when it undergoes to the mechanical solicitations that take place along the production line. What happens inside the glaze and what can we do to prevent and to properly manage the problem?
Surface protection treatments, emissions & regulations
The episode focuses on a subject that may seem unimportant but that, instead, is quite relevant if we consider the recent and new intended use of ceramic surfaces (tables, countertops, etc).
Ceramic production, chemicals & reduction of the environmental impact (part two)
This episode is the second part of a general overview about the most important categories of chemicals for ceramic prodution and their positive role in terms of environmental impact.
Ceramic production, chemicals & reduction of the environmental impact (part one)
The episode aims to refocus, from a special and provocative perspective, the role of chemicals used in ceramics: from the beginning to the end of the process, that is from the grinding of the clays that form the basis of the ceramic mixture up to the firing cycle.
Ceramic glazes: application systems, rheology & synthetic chemicals.
Ceramic glazes can be applied by means of several technologies but the most common and popular is the airless spray system.
What benefits can you get by using water-based digital glues?
In Ceramics, the water-based digital system is a very important topic of interest.
Water-based digital glues and ceramic ceramic production: what are they and how do they work?
In ceramic production, the use of digital glues for glaze and grit applications has almost completely replaced the spray/airless application system.
Black core: origin of the problem and resolutive actions
The black core is a localized area marked by a brown/black (or even white) color, clearly visible in the thickness of the ceramic tile.
Chemicals for application developed before and after the digital printing process (Part two)
After introducing the topic in the previous episode and getting into the details of the problems that may arise before the inkjet application, this new episode focuses on the repellency phenomena that occur after the digital printing process at the interface between the solvent-based inks and the subsequent watery applications of glaze or grit suspensions.
Chemicals for application developed before and after digital printing process (Part one)
The ink-jet decoration - that has replaced traditional decoration systems - has removed several problems bringing out, however, new and more complex critical issues.
Chemicals for ceramic mixtures: a short overview
The ceramic mixture usually used in ceramic production, largely consists of inorganic raw materials (clay, feldspar, sand, etc.), grinding water and chemical.
Superficial halos formation during the drying process
In ceramic, the drying process takes place inside dryers where raw tiles are placed on metal supports (roller stands) for a preset time, until the residual humidity's percentage is close to 0%.
Chemicals & ceramic glaze application (Part two)
In the previous episode, we offered a general overview on the most important chemicals normally used for ceramic glaze applications.
Chemicals and ceramic glaze application (Part one)
The ceramic glaze application that takes place along the glazing line is one of the most delicate steps of the ceramic production process.
Dry grit application by means of analogical systems
In ceramic production, grit applications are mainly "wet applications" made by means of airless spraying systems.
Digital glaze application by means of non piezoelectric systems
In the field of ceramics, glazes are usually applied on the raw tile by means of spray “analogical” systems (airless application system).
Mechanical resistance of green and dried ceramic material
Along the ceramic production line that from the pressing stage leads to the kilns, raw tiles (still delicate and fragile) often undergo to stresses on the conveyor roller that can compromise them.
Superficial pinholes of ceramic tiles: roots, causes & remedies
The ceramic production process - after the early stages that from the formation of the tile under the press lead to the applications of the glazing line - usually involves a final application of grit or glaze. Sometimes in huge amount.
Clogging of spray nozzle during grit application
In the ceramic tiles prodcution, engobes, grits, and glazes are still applied - to a large extent - by means of airless spray systems.
Surface protective products & post-treatment criticalities
The lapping and polishing processes that provide ceramic tiles with the proper aesthetic features, both involve the removal of a very thin layer of glaze that is on the very external part of the tile.
Process waters & critical issues
Process water play a very important role within ceramic activities, being involved in a wide range of production’s steps. If on the one hand they are strictly necessary to the course of the work, they can lead on the other hand to problems when they do not fits the required production parameters.
Bacterial degradation of semi-finished products
During their storage in the tanks, semi-finished products can be affected by bacterial degradations that, if they are not properly managed, may lead to application critical issues as well as to serious defects in the finished tile product, such as pinholes Just to give an example.
Why do slurries jellify during stocking?
The gelling phenomena of slurries inside the storage tanks is not so unusual as one might suppose.
Why do tiles explode in the kiln?
Why do tiles explode within the kiln?
Trailer
The role of chemistry in ceramic production.
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