Synthesis and Characterization of Some Free-Lead Ceramic Coatings

Abstract

The visual appearance of an object can play an important role in the industrial and artistic sectors. However, major attention must be to safety, environmental, and health hazard issues which arise from using toxic inorganic coatings (colorants and pigments) in ceramic technologies. This study presents the results of two kinds of experiments: for improving the networks of fabrication of pink-cherry-colored stannic pigments and for elaboration of recipes for new violet pigments. The valuable properties of pigments based on tin, including the very good colors which develop in glazes, justify the research carried out. The obtained pigments are appropriate in well-controlled conditions of temperature, atmosphere of combustion and especially of the composition of glazes and fluxes. The technology for achieving these pigments follows the general technology to obtain ceramic pigments: dosing raw materials, homogenization, drying, synthesis, purification pigment, wet milling, drying pigment. Tin content is reduced to the old ways with more than 40% in terms of obtaining the appropriate colors in cost effective conditions. This is essential, because tin oxide is one of the most expensive synthetic oxides pigments used in the manufacture of ceramics. It was obtained a wide range of colors which can be used successfully for the decoration of ceramics.