resumo
This study presents a fast and simple method for digital ceramic coloration using inkjet printing, eliminating the need for traditional precalcined pigments. This innovative approach represents a breakthrough in ceramic decoration technology, and introduces a previously unexplored methodology. In this work, CoAl2O4 spinel, a pigment commonly used in industrial contexts, is synthesized through laser zone melting (LZM) by applying pulsed laser radiation at 1064 nm. A standardized methodology to optimize pigment quality is developed, based on laser parameters such as pulse width, frequency, speed, power, and line spacing. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to determine the optimal laser conditions for obtaining a continuous, defect-free coating, showing that the embedded particles on the surface exhibit a nearly spherical morphology with diameters below 100 nm. The sample with the highest surface quality is further analyzed structurally and optically. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirms the presence of a pure spinel phase without secondary phases, along with a vitreous phase due to pigment embedding. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy reveal the characteristic vibrational bands of a normal spinel structure. The intense blue color is confirmed by strong absorption at 560 nm in ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, as well as b* and Delta b* values of 29 and 1.58, respectively, compared to the traditional pigment. This synthesis approach significantly enhances digital ceramic coloration compared to other methods evaluated in this study, offering a scalable, flexible, and more efficient alternative suitable for industrial-scale production.
palavras-chave
NANO COAL2O4 PIGMENT; ALUMINATE; COATINGS; PHASE
categoria
Materials Science
autores
Lahlahi-Attalhaoui, A; Cuadra, JG; García, SP; Valero, SLT; Chiva, DF; de la Fuente, GF; Carda, JB
nossos autores
Jaime González Cuadra
Bolseiro de pós-Doutoramentoagradecimentos
The authors wish to express their gratitude to the Municipal Council of Vila-real for its support through the "Ciutat de Vila-real" Chair in Innovation in Ceramics, and to the Solid State Chemistry Research Group of the Universitat Jaume I for their invaluable contributions. They also extend their thanks to the Generalitat Valenciana for the funding provided through the predoctoral (CIACIF/2022/277), postdoctoral (CIAPOS/2023/425), and international predoctoral mobility (CIBEFP/2024/008) contracts cofinanced by the European Social Fund. The authors are grateful to the Valencian Agency for Research for its support of the project INNEST/2024/420. They also thank the State Research Agency for funding the project TED2021-130963B-C22 (reference: AEI/10.13039/501100011033/European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR). Additionally, the authors express their gratitude to the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation for their support through the project PID2020-116719RB-C43 (MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033). Finally, the authors extend their appreciation to the Universitat Jaume I, particularly the Central Scientific Instrumentation Service, for their technical and scientific support, as well as to the Government of Aragon for their backing through the research group T54_23R.