Investigation of the effect of firing process in traditional wood furnaces on ceramic bodies containing iron oxide

Glaze compositions consisting of iron oxide were prepared within the context of the Graduate Thesis no 2010/216 entitled as ?Investigation of the effect of firing process in traditional wood furnaces on ceramic bodies containing iron oxide?, which was financially supported by the COMU Scientific Research Commission. The firing of the glazes were conducted in traditional wood furnaces, electrical furnaces and gas furnaces in an oxidizing environment.The firing applications using the traditional wood oven were conducted in the historical pottery village Akkoy near the town Ezine in Canakkale and the other applications using the electrical and the gas furnaces were conducted in the Faculty of Fine Arts in the Department of Ceramics. The local natural resources of Akkoy were used for the experimental tablets and plates as well as the clay to be used for creating forms, the primer and the dyes. Two different types of transparent glazes containing lead-alkali and boron-alkali at 1000oC were prepared. Iron oxide was used in coloring the glaze compositions together with increasing amounts of copper oxide additive. The glaze composition was developed from the results of the chemical analysis of a mixture that was used as the glazing mixture in mid ca. 20th century and a glazed ceramic sample from the Seigniorial Period findings acquired in Akkoy during the surface research. The developed glazing compositions were applied onto the ceramic plates that reflect the traditional décor and form effects of the historical ceramic works of Akkoy and onto contemporary forms.The effect of iron oxide during firing in electrical, gas operated and wood furnaces on ceramic samples were attempted to be determined. Gas operated and wood furnaces were determined to provide similar results, different from those conducted in electrical furnaces.