Synthesis of ZnO-Al2O3-Cr2O3 System Pigments with CrCl3

The coloring agents $Cr_2O_3$ and $CrCl_3$ were manipulated in this study to synthesize ZnO-$Al_2O_3-Cr_2O_3$ system pigments by changing their mixing ratio. The addition of varying amounts of mineralizer was also tested to obtain better color development of the pink pigment. In the synthesis of ZnO- $Al(OH)_3-Cr_2O_3-CrCl_3$ pigments, the best composition is $Cr_2O_3$-0.1 mole and $CrCl_3$-0.2 mole when $Cr_2O_3$ is partially substituted with $CrCl_3$ to synthesize them. Among the $ZnAl_{1.6-x}Cr_{0.2+x}O_4$ compositions to which a mineralizer was not added, ZnO-1mole, $Al(OH)_3$-1.7 mole, $Cr_2O_3$-0.075 mole, and $CrCl_3$-0.15 mole showed a desirable pink hue. The measurements of pigments $L^*$, $a^*$ and $b^*$, were $L^*$ 81.81, $a^*$ 16.65 and $b^*$ 0.45, and when the synthesized pigments were applied to a zinc glaze, the measurements were $L^*$ 60.41, $a^*$ 28.39, and $b^*$ 16.97. When adding a mineralizer, a 2 wt% addition resulted in the most favorable pink color. The composition for the most favorable result that included a mineralizer was $Al(OH)_3$-1.8 mole, $Cr_2O_3$-0.05 mole, and $CrCl_3$-0.1 mole, and the calcination temperature was $1250^{\circ}C$. The pigment color analysis showed $L^*$ 82.52, $a^*$17.14 and $b^*$-1.18, and the measurements of $L^*$, $a^*$ and $b^*$ in the glaze were $L^*$ 60.97, $a^*$ 28.77 and $b^*$ 13.72.