Clay is an interesting and diverse material in its properties, which is formed as a result of the destruction of rock. Many, when dealing with this plastic substance, think: what does clay consist of? Let's find out the answer to this question, and also figure out how this natural material can be useful to humans.
What is clay, what substance does it consist of
Clay is a sedimentary rock, fine-grained in its structure. When dry, it is often dusty, and if moistened, it becomes a plastic and malleable material that takes any form. When hardening, the clay becomes solid, its shape does not change.
The mineral composition of clays of different types, although different, always contains substances of the kaolinite and montmorillonite groups or other layered aluminosilicates. Clay may also include other impurities, carbonate and sand particles among its constituents.
The typical composition of this substance is as follows:
- kaolinite - 47%;
- aluminum oxide - 39%;
- water - 14%.
This is not all clay components. Mineral inclusions - halloysite, diasporas, hydrargillite, corundum, monothermite, muscovite and others - are also present in different quantities. Clays and kaolins can contaminate such minerals: quartz, dolomite, gypsum, magnetite, pyrite, limonite, marcasite.
Types of clay
What clay consists of largely depends on the place and method of its formation. Depending on this, there are:
1. Sedimentary clays are the result of the transfer of natural weathering products and their deposition in a certain place. They are marine - born on the bottom of the seas and oceans and continental - formed on the mainland. Sea clays, in turn, are divided into:
2. Residual clays are formed during the weathering of non-ductile rocks and their transformation into plastic kaolins. The study of such residual deposits can show a smooth transition of clay into the parent rock with a change in height.
Clay properties
Regardless of what substance the clay consists of and where it was formed, there are characteristic properties that distinguish it from other natural materials.
In dry form, clay has a dust-like structure. If it froze lumps, it easily crumbles. This material quickly gets wet, absorbs water, as a result of which it swells. At the same time, clay acquires water resistance - the ability not to pass liquid.
The main feature of clay is its plasticity - the ability to easily acquire any shape. Depending on this ability, clay can be classified into “oily” - which is characterized by increased ductility, and “lean” - diluted with other substances and gradually losing this property.
Plastic clay is characterized by stickiness and viscosity. This property is widely used in construction. Think of what the building mixture consists of? Clay is an essential component of any connective solution.
Spread on the planet
Clay is a very common material on Earth, and therefore inexpensive. There are a lot of clay deposits in any locality. Clay dumps, which used to be solid rocks, can be seen on the coasts of the sea. The banks and bottom of rivers and lakes are often covered with a layer of clay. If the forest path or dirt road has a brown or red hue, then most likely it also consists of residual clay.
In industrial clay mining, the open cast mining method is used. To get to the mineral deposits, first remove the topsoil, and then remove the minerals. At different depths, clay layers may vary in composition and properties.
Human use of clay
As already mentioned, most often clay is used in construction. Everyone knows that the usual material for the construction of structures is bricks. What are they made of? Sand and clay are the main components of the dough, which, under the influence of high temperatures, becomes solid and turns into brick. So that the wall from individual blocks does not crumble, use a viscous solution, which also contains clay.
A mixture of clay and water becomes a raw material for pottery production. Since ancient times, mankind has learned to produce vases, bowls, jugs and other containers from clay. They can have different sizes and shapes. Previously, pottery was necessary and widespread, and clay products became the only accessories used in everyday life and a very popular commodity in the markets.
Clay is widely used in medicine and cosmetology. Those who care about the beauty and health of the skin are aware of the beneficial effects of certain types of this substance. Clay is used for wraps, masks and lotions. It effectively fights cellulite, gives the skin elasticity, and prevents premature aging. For some medical reasons, clay is even used internally. And for skin diseases, the dried and ground into dust material is prescribed in the form of powders. It is important to mention that not all clay is used for such purposes, but only some of its types having antiseptic and antimicrobial properties.
What is polymer clay
Now, pottery is not such a common hobby as in the past, but polymer clay modeling is becoming more popular . Some believe that polymer clay is a type of ordinary natural clay. Is such a judgment true? Let's see what polymer clay is, what it consists of and how it is used by humans.
Polymer clay is a plastic material that hardens in air or when exposed to high temperatures. We often hear about the use of polymer clay in needlework, but in addition it can be used in the production of plastic windows, kitchen utensils , etc.
Polymer clay makes it easy to simulate the texture of other materials, such as wood or stone. From this plastic substance, you can independently make souvenirs, Christmas decorations, jewelry, interior decorations, charms and much more. Such handmade products will be a great gift, they can be stored for a long time, while not losing their attractive appearance and original shape.
What does polymer clay consist of? Home-made recipe
The needlewomen, who were interested in the process of making such bright souvenirs, probably thought about how to make polymer clay on their own. This is a very real task. Naturally, the resulting material will not be identical to the factory polymer clay, but with proper manufacture, its properties will not be inferior.
Necessary components:
- PVA glue - 1 cup;
- corn starch - 1 cup;
- non-greasy hand cream without silicone - 1 tablespoon;
- petroleum jelly - 1 tablespoon;
- lemon juice - 2 tablespoons.
That's all that clay for modeling, which we will cook at home, consists of.
We mix the starch, glue and petroleum jelly, add the lemon juice and again mix until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Put in the microwave for 30 seconds, mix and send there for another 30 seconds. The crust that has formed on the surface must be removed and discarded, and the elastic mass put on a tray greased with hand cream, and vigorously knead for 5 minutes. After cooling, our polymer clay is ready for use.
Having learned how to make polymer clay yourself, you can save on expensive purchased material and, without limiting yourself, master an interesting, creative lesson.
Clay is an interesting and diverse material in its properties, which is formed as a result of the destruction of rock. Many, when dealing with this plastic substance, think: what does clay consist of? Let's find out the answer to this question, and also figure out how this natural material can be useful to humans.