Application and Properties of Co<sup>2+</sup>-Doped BaAl<sub>2</sub>Si<sub>2</sub>O<sub>8</sub> Blue Pigments in Glazes
Zhiwei Wang, Qiuying Wang, Qin Liu, Suwit Suthirakun, Wongsathorn Kaewraung, Peng Jiang, Hang Zhao, Xin Xin, M. A. Subramanian
Abstract
Blue pigments and blue glazes play crucial roles in our daily life. Ongoing research into blue pigments aims at environmentally friendly compositions with a lower cost. In this work, Co-doped BaAl 2 Si 2 O 8 pigments were synthesized by a solid-state method. The blue color of the pigments is due to the 4 A 2 ( 4 F) → 4 T 1 ( 4 P) transitions allowed by doped Co 2+ in the tetrahedral coordination of the structure. The pigments exhibit excellent stability under both acidic and alkaline conditions. When combined with transparent glazes, BaAl 2– x Co x Si 2 O 8 demonstrates satisfied compatibility, resulting in blue glazes with a significant reduction in Co content compared with existing formulations. Furthermore, BaAl 2– x Co x Si 2 O 8 blue glazes possess a simple production route, commendable color performance, and cost-effectiveness.