Fabrication of a yellow ceramic nano pigment based on zirconium oxide (ZrO2) and iron oxide as dopant (Fe2O3)

In this study, yellow ceramic nano pigments based on ZrO2 (zirconium oxide) were synthesized by solid state method using different value of Fe2O3 as dopant. The pigments were dispersed in solvent by a planetary ball mill and then the inks were printed on the ceramic surface using screen printing method. The samples were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction spectrum (XRD) and CIE Lab Colorimetric Analysis. Results showed that by changing the amount of Fe2O3 dopant from 0.07 to 0.2 gr, the average particle size changed from 170 to134 nm. The colorimetric results revealed that after increasing Fe2O3 dopant, the amount of a* parameter increased from 1.21 to 6.72, b* from 34.72 to 47.53, while L* parameter (lightness) reduced. After printing of pigments on the ceramic surface, the average particle size of each sample decreased; also, the L* (lightness) and a* (red) increased while b* (yellow) decreased.