Studies on Cordierite Porcelain, (I)

Abstract

In order to establish the basis for the study of cordierite porcelain, the cordierite crystal was examined. The results of the work may be summed up as follows;1. The existence of μ-cordierite nomenclated by Rankin is somewhat doubtful.2. The optical constants of α-cordierite do not agree with those reported by Rankin.3. The crystal structure of natural cordierite seems to be identical with that of α-type, though the values of the both optical constants do not form simultaneously any smooth graphical curve.4. On heating, α-cordierite decomposes into mullite and glass before it attains up to its melting point.