Surface finishing of building ceramics and its
challenges
For some years now, the demand for varied, individual surfaces has been growing in building ceramics, too.
To obtain shiny metallic effects on ceramic surfaces, so-called lustre glazes can be used. Lustres refer to thin, metallically shimmering coatings that iridise, often in more than one colour. The effect is obtained based on the reduction of metal salts or oxides on the glazed surface of the products, leaving behind thin metallic coatings. Modern lustre preparations can also be produced in an oxidizing atmosphere, but so far two firings have been necessary for this. The challenge in the application of lustres on modern building ceramics is the development of surface finishes in a single oxidizing firing. In this way, this technique can be viably integrated in modern production processes and meet demanding customer requirements.
M. Eng. Nicole Wagler, Das Keramikinstitut, Meissen
