Red is a truly unique and powerful color. It's not just the color of our blood, but it also plays a fundamental role in nature and art. The three primary colors—red, yellow, and blue—are essential building blocks of life. In the world of ceramic pigments, red holds a special place. While blue is often considered one of the easier colors to develop, red has always been more complex and sought after. Common blue ceramic pigments include vanadium zirconium blue, cobalt blue, peacock blue, and sapphire blue, each with distinct structural types like zircon, spinel, or other crystalline forms.
Yellow ceramic pigments are also widely used, with variations such as orange, pure yellow from the titanium series, and golden or brown-yellow hues from the iron-chromium-zinc-aluminum series. These include zircon-based yellows, wrapped yellows, and more. Each type has its own unique properties and applications depending on the desired effect and firing conditions.
Ceramic pigments can be broadly categorized based on their use in glazes or unfired bodies. Most glaze pigments develop color during the green body stage, though the final color may vary depending on the glaze composition. Red ceramic glazes typically use materials like zirconium iron red, wrapped red, round red, and manganese red. Among these, zirconium iron red and wrapped red are known for their stability in both the green body and the glaze. Wrapped red, in particular, offers high redness and is commonly used in glass mosaics, glazed porcelain, and artistic ceramics. Though more expensive, its vibrant color makes it highly desirable.
Zirconium iron, while less costly, is often combined with other zirconium pigments to create a wider range of colors and maintain good performance at high temperatures. It’s widely used in matte glazes and traditional ceramics. Another notable red pigment is Yuanzihong, also known as tin peach red, which belongs to the tin-bismuth structure. Made primarily from chromium oxide, tin oxide, and calcium oxide, its formula is closely guarded. The production process is intricate, and the best results are traditionally achieved in Chaozhou, Guangdong. Some say that even when manufacturers moved to Foshan and tried to replicate the original formula, they couldn't achieve the same quality. This is attributed to factors like water quality and the method of raw material preparation, such as using crushed shells mixed with tin oxide in large pots.
Yuanzihong can produce a wide range of red tones, from pink to deep purple, depending on the proportions of chromium and calcium oxides. Today, it’s used in ceramic pink ink and glazed tiles. Manganese peach red, on the other hand, is not ideal for high-temperature applications due to the presence of manganese carbonate, which can lead to pinholes in the ceramic surface. As a result, it’s mainly used in matte antique bricks.
For green body applications, red pigments like aluminum-iron coral red, ferrosilicon red, lanthanum aluminum red, and manganese red are commonly used. Aluminum-iron red, in particular, is a fascinating case. Some say it was discovered by accident when aluminum oxide was mistakenly used instead of zirconia during a test. Whether true or not, it's considered a breakthrough in ceramic color technology. Ferrosilicon red, made from silica and iron oxide, offers a more vivid and intense red than aluminum-iron red, with a stronger powder color. However, due to the higher cost of silica compared to alumina, most market products now use the more affordable aluminum-iron red.
Manganese red, which belongs to the corundum type, is known for its high heat resistance and affordability. Despite this, its market share has declined over the years, especially after 2004, leading to fewer manufacturers. Today, it's largely controlled by a small number of companies. Overall, red ceramic pigments continue to play a vital role in the ceramic industry, offering a wide spectrum of colors and applications, from traditional pottery to modern decorative pieces.
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