WANG Kun ¹, HE Jinlin ^{2, 3}, LIU Jing ^{1, 2}, LI Feng ¹, WU Hongmei ¹, NA Qinxiao ^{2, 3}, ZHANG Peng ^{1, 2}, SHAN Aidang ^{1, 2}, GAO Lian ^{1, 2}

(1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; 2. Shanghai Jiao Tong University Jianshui Purple Pottery Joint Research Center, Honghe 654300, Yunnan, China; 3. Shanghai Jiao Tong University Yunnan Dali Research Institute, Dali 671000, Yunnan, China)

Abstract: Pottery has a long history with various types of ware shapes, which constitutes an important part of Chinese culture. As one of the four famous types of pottery in China, Jianshui purple pottery has unique craftsmanship and artistic characteristics. Although purple pottery has already been widely used in tea storage and steam boilers, many characteristics of purple pottery are based on experience and legend, lacking the support of experience data. The relationship between the clay and the properties of the purple pottery is still unknown. Thus, the responses to temperature and humidity change under different environments were systematically studied. The raw materials, mud and finished products of Jianshui purple pottery, together with their phase, particle size and structure, were also studied by using XRD, SEM, TG-DSC and Mercury Porosimeter. It is found that Jianshui purple pottery’s small clay particle size resulted in its low porosity of the finished product. As a result, it has a good moisturizing propJianshui purple pottery; porosity; moisturizing propertyerty, which meets the requirement of long term storage of the tea that requires post fermentation. The relationships among the clay particle size, composition and porosity of the finished product, as well as the humidity maintenance properties, are discussed.

Key words: Jianshui purple pottery; porosity; moisturizing property