Cellulose ether additives for the extrusion of ceramic masses

1. A process for the extrusion of ceramic masses or other masses which set as a result of baking or sintering, which comprises:

selecting at least one water-soluble cellulose ether whose alkaline solution of 1.0 part by weight of cellulose ethers per 100 parts by weight of solution displays elastic properties in which the ratio of loss modulus G″ to storage modulus G′ (tan 8=G″/G′) of the solution at a temperature of 20° C.+/−1° C. when using a solvent comprising 98 parts by weight of water and 2 parts by weight of sodium hydroxide per 100 parts by weight of solvent in a rheological oscillation experiment as a function of the angular frequency co in the linear viscoelastic region at angular frequencies of less than or equal to 100 rad/s has a value of less than 1.3;

and mixing the at least one water-soluble cellulose either with at least one compound selected from the group consisting of alumina, aluminum nitride and aluminum carbide, cordierite, mullite, silicon carbide, silicon boride, silicon nitride, titanium dioxide, titanium carbide, boron carbide, boron oxide, talc, silicon metal, carbon black, graphite, rare earth oxides and zeolites and subsequently extruding it, thereby

forming an extrudate of a ceramic mass or other mass which sets as a result of baking or sintering.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the selecting step further comprises selecting the water-soluble cellulose ether having a capillary breakup time of more than 2.5 seconds in a solution of 1.5 parts by weight of the cellulose ethers per 100 parts by weight of solution in an extensional flow experiment at a temperature of 20° C.+/−1° C. when using a solvent comprising 98 parts by weight of water and 2 parts by weight of sodium hydroxide per 100 parts by weight of solvent.

3. The process as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a thermal treatment of the extrudate is carried out after the actual extrusion.