Characteristics of Cobalt Spinel -Enamel Composition

Cobalt and its compounds as Cobalt spinel (COA1204) has powerful and stable colorant used in glass, glaze, ceramics, enamel, and most of silicate materials and also even as surface colouring on metals and minerals. As little as about 2 ppm can produce a recognizable tint. It is also characterized by not volatile even at 1400C. It is very colour dependable under both oxidizing and reducing furnace conditions, soaking times and fast or slow firing rate. Cobalt spinel Cobalt aluminate (COA1204) was used in this investigation as blue pigment for a selected composition of prepared enamel. The behaviour of the prepared samples was identified with using light microscoy, UV/Vis spectroscopy, colour value was determined with using CIELAB system, and the EDX and also XRD was used also to inedtify the crystalline reaction products created due to thermal treatment. Results of the present study shows that suitabilty of the used cobalt spinel as a colouring for the prepared enamel. It gives a specific stabilty of Cobalt spinel Cobalt aluminate (COA1204) due to the partial dissolution of the colour pigments grains through enamel composition.