Mike, Here are just a few additional thoughts, in my muddle headedness not expressed early. The main reason we cannot apply the CS until after the first firing is that it is necessary to reach at least 700 or 800C, and preferrably 900C, in order to achieve good strength. In this way the earthenware becomes hard and strong enough to help insure a long lifetime. It is a problem that the silver will burn off at a much lower temperature than 700.
I would also like to comment that one reason we consider the newly developed purifier to be a breakthrough is that up to now it has been thought to be impossible to give good permeability to earthenware. For this reason the more preferred materials for purification candles have been diatomite, kaolin or others, materials are relatively uncommon. This limits the use of diatomite and kaolin to higher priced filter systems, far beyond the reach of the poor. By contrast the use of the very common red clays should make earthenware purification candles a sustainable option for the kind of appropriate technology that is suitable for village pottery production. Reid -- The silver-list is a moderated forum for discussion of colloidal silver. To join or quit silver-list or silver-digest send an e-mail message to: [email protected] -or- [email protected] with the word subscribe or unsubscribe in the SUBJECT line. To post, address your message to: [email protected] Silver-list archive: http://escribe.com/health/thesilverlist/index.html List maintainer: Mike Devour <[email protected]>
