Patent ID: 8679997

Claim:
A ceramic clay obtained by kneading a forming raw material containing a ceramic forming material comprising, in addition to the ceramic forming material, a layered double hydroxide in flake form in an amount of from 0.01 to 5 mass % based on the total amount of the layered double hydroxide and the ceramic forming material; wherein the layered double hydroxide is represented by the following formula (I): [M 2+ 1−x M 3+ x (OH) 2 ][A a n− x/n .y H 2 O] (I), wherein M 2+ , M 3+ , and Aa n− represent a divalent cation, a trivalent cation, and an anion other than a carbonate ion, respectively, n stands for a valence of the anion (1≦n≦3), x represents a composition ratio of the trivalent cation (M 3+ ) in the sum of the divalent cation (M 2+ ) and the trivalent cation (M 3+ ) and satisfies the following range: 0.1≦x≦0.4, and y stands for the number of moles of water; wherein the layered double hydroxide in flake form turns into a gel when dispersed in water; and wherein the layered double hydroxide has a viscosity of from 1000 to 20000 mPa·s when dispersed in water at a concentration of 6 mass %.