Investigation of the effects of alkaline and rare earth alkaline oxides and glaze properties in quadro system

Various alkaline and earth alkaline oxides mix together and melt due to the thermal reaction on the ceramic body to form glaze. It is a glassy layer that protects the surface from the contamination, heat, humidity etc. and has different original textures and colors. Alkaline metal and alkaline earth metal oxides are the basic oxides that can melt in the glaze recipes according to the chemical formulations and with this property they make the other contents melt in the system. The firing temperatures of the glazes and bodies vary according to the ratio of alkaline and alkaline earth metal oxides in the chemical composition. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of the alkaline and alkaline earth oxides which are an essential components of glaze recipes in a quadro glaze system. Accordingly, alkaline frit, potassium nitrate (KNO3), calcite (CaCO3), colemanite (2CaO.3B2O3.16H2O), quartz (SiO2), sodium nitrate (NaNO3) and magnesium carbonate (MgCO3) used to develop four different glaze systems and coded as A, B, C, D. The glazes produced from these systems were applied onto the white ceramic bodies by pouring method and fired in a laboratory type furnace at 1000oC. Glazes that selected according to their surface properties are colored with 0.05 % cobalt oxide (CoO) and applied onto the plate forms. The final products and developed glazes are investigated according to their relationship with the bodies and effects of alkaline and alkaline earth oxides are determined in the quadro glaze system. Keywords: Alkaline oxide, alkaline earth oxide, quadro glaze system