Introduction
Aside from decal application, there is a technology that’s been widely used on bone china plates, mugs, cups, and saucers in recent years, which is color glaze bone china ceramic tableware. In this article, we are going to discuss this technology.
This article mainly includes the following topics.
- What’s the color glaze bone china ceramic?
- Features of color glaze bone china ceramic.
- Difference between high-temperature glaze and low-temperature glaze.
- Is color glaze bone china ceramic safe?
- Color glaze bone china ceramic tableware products demonstration
1 What’s the color glaze bone china ceramic?
Porcelain uses clay, kaolin as raw material, processed into a variety of shapes of the body and then sprayed a layer of white glaze, and then fire in kiln for a few hours to form a transparent glazed layer.
The difference between bone china and ceramics mainly includes two aspects-raw material and firing process.
Bone China’s raw materials include a certain amount of animal bone powder to make the finished product thinner and tougher, with the bone ash added in, the molding is more difficult. Meanwhile, two times of firing are required in the making process, which are called biscuit firing and glaze firing.
The detailed information can be found in the article: All you want to know about fine bone china.
With the layer of transparent glaze on the surface of fired porcelain, the porcelain shows the characteristics of light and delicate. The existence of glaze makes the ceramic tableware chemical stable, acid, and alkali resistant, not easy to engage in a chemical reaction with the food or water. It also makes the tableware easy to clean, water can wash off stains and the low water absorption rate makes the ceramic surface dense with fewer pores, thus not easy to penetrate water or scratch.
In addition to the transparent glaze mentioned above, some consumers now like to use a variety of colors of glaze decoration tableware, so there is an additional decoration method in addition to decal applying, which is called the color glaze. In the application of bone china ceramic tableware, a layer of color glaze is sprayed on the surface of bone china which has already been sprayed with a transparent glaze and then fired.
Bone China color glaze mug
2 Features of color glaze bone china ceramic.
2.1 Available in a variety of colors.
Different colors are available for color glaze bone china ceramic. Color glaze raw material factory can blend many colors as customer requirements to achieve different decorative effects.
2.2 High cost.
Raw materials for color glaze and the transparent glaze are not the same. Color glaze raw materials are divided into the low-temperature color glaze and high-temperature color glaze. To ensure the follow-up application of decal or gold-applying decoration, the high-temperature color glaze is used here. The cost of high-temperature color glaze is higher than that of low-temperature color glaze.
(color glazed cup and saucer with decal printing and gold decoration)
2.3 The process is demanding.
While the ceramic glazes are generally conducted in two ways spraying glazes by machine or hands, the colored glazes can only be sprayed by hand. To avoid the situation that the colors sprayed are different or missing, the technical requirements for glazing workers are higher than those for white porcelain glazing.
(man-made spray)
2.4 Stability
Although the color glaze sprays on the transparent glaze surface, after firing, the pigment soluble in the transparent glaze, which is in fact in-glaze color, so the color is stable, not easy to scratch.
3.difference between high-temperature glaze and low-temperature glaze
The difference between high-temperature glaze and low-temperature glaze mainly includes the following aspects. Firing temperature, characteristics, color, feel, sound, porcelain texture, water absorption, and so on.
3.1 Different temperatures
High-temperature glaze: firing temperature is about 1300 degrees.
Low-temperature glaze: firing temperature is about 800degrees.
3.2 Features difference
High-temperature glaze: high-temperature glaze firm, corrosion resistance, resistance to friction.
Low-temperature glaze: low-temperature glaze is relatively weak, easy to fall off.
3.3 Colors difference
High-temperature glaze: high-temperature glaze porcelain compared to low-temperature glazed porcelain, color is more vivid n smooth.
Low-temperature glaze: the color of low-temperature glazed porcelain is relatively dull.
3.4 Feel difference
High-temperature glaze: high-temperature glaze porcelain feels more smooth.
Low-temperature glaze: low-temperature glazed porcelain is slightly rough.
3.5 Tapping sound difference
High-temperature glaze: high-temperature glaze of porcelain beating out the sound crisper.
Low-temperature glaze: the sound of low-temperature glazed porcelain knocking is relatively dull.
3.6 Texture
High-temperature glaze: hardness of high-temperature glaze porcelain is more solid than low-temperature glaze porcelain .
Low-temperature glaze: low-temperature glazed porcelain is more fragile;
3.7 Water absorption difference
High-temperature glaze: high-temperature porcelain water absorption rate is lower.
Low-temperature glaze: the water absorption of low-temperature porcelain is higher.
4. Is color glaze bone china ceramic safe?
It is common sense for people to think that when the color is too bright, the ceramic tableware is more likely to be poisonous. Is it correct?
The answer is not affirmative. It greatly depends on the glaze material and the firing temperature.
As mentioned above, Raw materials are divided into the low-temperature color glaze and high-temperature color glaze. The low-temperature glaze firing temperature is 800 degrees, after firing, with color glaze is on the transparent glazed surface, there is a risk of falling off. If the color glaze used contains lead, the color glaze may ingest into the human body, causing health problems.
The firing temperature of high temperature colored glaze is 1200°C. In the high-temperature firing, color glaze soluble in transparent glaze inside, because the glaze itself is dense, the color glaze is not easy to dissolve, so it’s relatively safe.
As for raw materials, to control budget, some manufacturers might choose cheap raw materials, these raw materials are more likely to contain lead and other harmful substances, certain harmful ingredients may spill out at temperatures ranging from 600 °C to 800 °C, or lead may leach out by the organic acids in food when food contact with pigments.
Therefore, in the purchase of bone china ceramic tableware, customers should choose the large-scale mall or these quality assured shops. As the daily use of dinnerware affects our health, it is recommended that you take it seriously.
The lead leaking can be avoidable with proper firing temperature and environment, technology, and the choice of qualified raw materials. So when you want to custom color glaze ceramic products, you should choose a professional manufacturer that can be trusted.
Color glaze bone china ceramic tableware products demonstration.
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Conclusion.
Feel free to leave a reply if you have more color glaze bone china ceramic tableware-related questions!