Claywith

Claywith is a term used in ceramics and materials science to describe clay-based composites that incorporate secondary materials into a clay matrix to improve performance. The name signals the idea of combining clay with additives.

Typical bases include ball clay, kaolin, or earthenware. Additives may be silica, feldspar, mica, glass fibers, wollastonite, organic fibers, or polymer binders. Variants range from reinforced modeling clays to fired ceramic composites and polymer-clay hybrids.

Manufacture generally involves thorough mixing of clay and additives to form a uniform slurry or dough, shaping, drying, and firing or curing according to the formulation. Polymeric variants may require binders and room-temperature curing.

Properties commonly improved by claywith include strength, toughness, and dimensional stability; porosity and thermal behavior can be tuned via additive choice. Some formulations demand careful drying to prevent cracking.

Applications include sculpture, functional ceramics, and architectural or industrial components where clay-based material performance is important but traditional clays fall short.

History and reception: The concept arose in the 21st century from artists and researchers exploring reinforced clay systems. The term remains informal in many circles, with varying definitions across disciplines.

See also: ceramic composite, polymer clay, grog. Safety and environmental considerations depend on the additives used.