Kaolin

(in 8,120 products)

1. Binder / Stabilizer - Retains the physical characteristics of food/cosmetics and ensure the mixture remains in an even state.

2. Bulking Agent - Non-nutritious or inactive substances added to increase stability of the mixture.

3. Drug / Medicine - Treats, alleviates, cures, or prevents sickness. As officially declared by a governmental drug/medicine regulatory body

4. Gelling Agent / Thickener - Increases the viscosity by thickening the liquid to give it more texture

5. Insecticide / Pesticide - Kills or inhibits unwanted organisms

6. Suspending Agent - Promotes particle suspension or dispersion while reducing sedimentation

Kaolin, also called china clay, soft white clay that is an essential ingredient in the manufacture of china and porcelain and is widely used in the making of paper, rubber, paint, and many other products. Kaolin is named after the hill in China (Kao-ling) from which it was mined for centuries.

In its natural state kaolin is a white, soft powder consisting principally of the mineral kaolinite. Approximately 40 percent of the kaolin produced is used in the filling and coating of paper. In filling, the kaolin is mixed with the cellulose fibre and forms an integral part of the paper sheet to give it body, colour, opacity, and printability. In coating, the kaolin is plated along with an adhesive on the paper’s surface to give gloss, colour, high opacity, and greater printability.

Substantial tonnages of kaolin are used for filling rubber to improve its mechanical strength and resistance to abrasion. For this purpose, the clay used must be extremely pure kaolinite and exceedingly fine grained. Kaolin is also used as an extender and flattening agent in paints. It is frequently used in adhesives for paper to control the penetration into the paper. Kaolin is an important ingredient in ink, organic plastics, some cosmetics, and many other products where its very fine particle size, whiteness, chemical inertness, and absorption properties give it particular value.

1. PubChem: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/56841936