To investigate the effects of the temperature of synthesis and of the thermal treatment of zinc chromate on the properties of the zinc chromate pigments.
Zinc chromate pigments was prepared using zinc salt solution, sodium hydroxide and potassium dichromate solutions. The reaction temperature was varied in order to evaluate the effect of the reaction temperature on the properties of the pigment synthesised. The pigment obtained was heated to 10°C above the critical temperature in order to investigate the effect of thermal treatment on the pigment properties. SEM, XRD, XFR and STA were employed for the characterisation of the pigments synthesised.
Reaction temperature had a significant effect on the properties of the resulting pigment. Thermal treatment of the pigment caused the decomposition of the zinc chromate phase to ZnO, ZnCr2O4 and K2CrO4 phases. The glaze containing zinc chromate had satisfactory colour characteristics.
The study focused on the preparation and evaluation of zinc chromate as a substitute for praseodymium zircon in glaze. The study could be extended to investigation of similar inorganic pigment for similar purposes.
The information on the effects of the reaction temperature of pigment synthesis and of thermal treatment of the pigment is useful for industrial production of the pigment of satisfactory properties.
Novel use of zinc chromate as a lower‐cost substitute for praseodymium zircon in glaze and understanding of the effects of the production conditions on the properties of the resulting pigment and the glaze.
