Flocculants are additives that give ceramic suspensions body and stop particles from settling at the bottom of tanks. They keep the glaze uniform and the application even on the line.
Glazes and engobes are stored in tanks and move along the line as suspensions of particles in water. Over time, the heavier particles tend to settle at the bottom, which changes the composition of what is being applied and causes variations on the tile.
A flocculant draws the particles slightly together and forms a structure that keeps them suspended even when the tank is at rest.
Flocculants and deflocculants are used in balance. It is common to deflocculate during milling, to mill with more solids, and flocculate afterwards, to adjust the glaze for application. This keeps the glaze stable without losing the fluidity it needs.
No. Density depends on the amount of solids and water. A flocculant changes how the suspension flows and holds when at rest, without changing its density.
The most common signs are deposits forming at the bottom of the tank and density changing over the shift.
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