Abstract
(I) Diatomaceous earth is most used in Japan as a ceramic purposes, as heat insulation, in powdered state or bricks sawed to shape from the natural diatomaceous rock and pressed brick made from powdered earth, either calcined or natural. Also powdered diatomaceous earth is now used as an addition to concrete, a fiter-aid of raw cane sugar selutions, an absorbent and as a carrier for various catalyser. In spite of those major uses of diatomaceous earths in japan, no fundamental paper has been published on their properties from ceramic view point. Therefore the author have studied on physical and chemical properties of diatömaceous earth reffering to ceramic view point. These samples was collected by authers from numerous diatomite deposits at number of localities in japan. Their details will be given at continued reports.
(2) History of the uses of diatomaceous earth and numerous literatures on diatomaceae and diatomaceous eartn are described.
(3) Diatomaceous earth consists of numerable skeletons, namely of the fossil remains of unicellular plants called “diatomaceae”. These skeletons sank to the bottoms as to form the present great beds of piatomaceous earth. General explanations and literatures on diatomaceae, especially a condition of cell-division of it based upon the botanical point of view are given in this report.
