The development and characterisation of zinc crystal glazes used for Amakusa-like soft porcelains

In porcelain production, as well as bodies expected to have white colour, c ompaction and translucency, suitable glaze compositions have great importan ce from both a technological and decoration point of view. Supplying the de sired firing conditions is generally quite difficult for the porcelains hav ing white colour after being fired in reducing atmospheres. In the present study, firstly it has been tried to make porcelain bodies similar to the Am akusa porcelain, which has been traditionally prepared in the Nagasaki Pref ecture of Japan and widely used, by applying domestic raw materials and fir ing them in an oxidation atmosphere. Secondly, several zinc-containing glaz es coloured with different colorants have been developed and applied to tho se bodies. After biscuit and gloss firing procedures, products have been ch aracterised using dilatometry, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microsc opy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd . All rights reserved.