Alumina is added to the glaze mixture as a stiffening agent. It helps the glass adhere to the surface of the pot when applied in its raw state and prevents the glaze from dripping from the pot when it becomes liquid glass in the kiln. This also affects how the frosting fits the pot. In some cases, if the glaze does not hold onto its clay body, the glass will shatter or come loose from the pot before or after firing. Alumina is also used as a slurry for the mixture so that any other elements added to the batch remain floating rather than sinking into the mixture.