TITLE.- Clay for 3D printing or Additive Manufacturing.
- Problem to solve. Improve the living conditions and habitability of the inhabitants in the refugee camps by replacing the tents with non-ephemeral buildings with stable quality over time. This study also provides a solution in catastrophic areas.
- Collaborative scheme. The research has been successfully completed in the course of the OTF educational program, https://iaac.net/educational-programmes/applied-research-programmes/postgraduate-open-thesis-fabrication/ of which I have been part of the teaching staff teaching how to improve the physical qualities of raw clay using natural and local resources.
- Concept. Raw clay as a mineral binder for the creation of complex forms in architecture and sculpture. Raw clay is a mineral binder used for centuries in the construction of homes of all kinds, from small private homes to extensive military fortresses. It was used in very high thicknesses because it was known about its unstable nature, especially in contact with water.
The economic interest that clay raises is that raw clay is part of our natural soil, therefore, very abundant and relatively easy to exploit, and it does not need to be baked at high temperatures as it happens with other mineral binders such as limes, cements or plasters.
In contrast, it is not very strong and is unstable, it loses cohesion in contact with water, which relegates its use to dry geographical areas. If the intention is to revitalize interest in raw clay by increasing its geographical use, it is necessary to improve or stabilize the characteristics and reactions of raw clay in contact with water. The strategy chosen for this test tries to enrich the mixing water with natural additives that help improve the dynamic characteristics of the raw clay.
Method. Giving continuity to the recommended tests using sugarcane enzymes, with satisfactory results, in this program we opted for the use of different collagens and polysaccharides when evaluating the unfeasibility of the enzymes as they come from another continent in breach of the basic parameters that support this study.
The documented methodology is written entirely by the students of the OTF program, to whom I reiterate my gratitude for their good availability.
Components. All the natural materials used are local resources within an area of 40 km2 with an epicenter in La Bisbal d’Empordà – Girona – Spain. The nature of the components cover the mineral and vegetable spectrum, without the participation of hydrocarbons, and served in dry powder of different grain sizes. The following selection of components corresponds to the one that offered a more balanced result.
Red clay in dry powder. Dry powder brick. Dry powder marble. Hemp dry powder. Dry cork powder. Dry powdered ash. Wheat starch in dry powder.
Critical factors. The mineral components can be located with some ease because they are common in the ceramic and home construction market, but the rest of the components come from minority markets without surpluses that do not have their distribution adapted to other uses than their usual ones. This leads to gathering in prevention of the lack of these products.
Since the raw clay we need shows unique and changing behavior, it is absolutely necessary to teach professionals capable of diagnosing the behavior of raw clay and to be able to adapt the formulations according to their end use.
Given the amount of information provided for the development of the OTF program, we did not have time to demonstrate how to stabilize the water used in the mixtures to avoid the contribution of bacteria while the mixing water evaporates.
Conclusion. It is possible to control and stabilize the negative reactions of raw clay with other local natural materials to create stable mineral forms.
By teaching professionals and activating some trades, we generate local wealth when the result of their experience is realized in consumer goods.
This research is accredited in the aforementioned OTF study program.