Formation and color properties of vanadium doped ZrSiO4 ceramic pigments

Abstract

Vanadium doped zircon pigments were prepared by a ceramic method from a mixture of monoclinic zirconia and silica with sodium fluoride as a mineralizer and the color properties of the pigments were also investigated. The raw composition was varied in order to optimize the synthesis of the final pigments. The color of synthesized pigments observed in the absence and the presence of the NaF was green and blue, respectively. They were characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-Vis and Raman spectroscopies. The color changes produced in the samples during heating are discussed in terms of the valence of the vanadium species in the zircon matrix and the yield of the zircon phase. In these zircon pigments, evidence of the intermediate phase(NaVO3) in an initial step in the synthesis process is observed by Raman spectroscopy. V+4-ZrSiO4 pigments using rice husk ash give rise to a blue coloration at a low temperature (750 degrees C) and they became a more intense blue color with holding time and a suitable turquoise blue at high temperature(similar to 1300 degrees C) glazes for porcelain wares.