Ceramic colors

Abstract

Abstract Ceramic colors or stains consist mainly of pigments, glaze or body, and opacifiers. They are used for the decoration of porcelain, earthenware bone china and other ceramics. Glazes and enamels are the main application systems for ceramic colors. Pigments are the color giving components in the composition of a ceramic color. High temperature and chemical stability as well as high tinting strength are characteristics of stains. Technically important ceramic colors are cadmium sulfide and sulfoselenides (occluded in zircon), metals such as gold, silver, platinum, and copper (as colloidal particles), metal oxides (α-Fe2O3, Cr2O3, CuO, Co3O4/CoO, MnO2/Mn2O3, and NiO/Ni2O3), mixed metal oxides and silicates, zirconia-based and zircon-based compositions. Ceramic colors are often produced using solid state reactions.