Study of borosilicate glaze opacification by phosphates using Kubelka-Munk model

Abstract The aim of this work was to study the effects of additions of sodium metaphospahte (1–50 Wt.%) on optical properties of a conventional borosilicate glaze. The optical properties were evaluated by diffuse reflectance measurements. The absorption and the scattering properties of the obtained glazes, were explained through the Kubelka-Munk model. The structural and microstructural properties were determined by X-ray diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy. It was shown that white opaque borosilicate glazes can be obtained for an addition of 5 Wt% to 50 Wt% of sodium metaphosphate and 20 Wt% seemed the optimum amount to obtain a perfect white opacity. The opacification process is based on the light scattering phenomenon wherein the nature of the scattering centers vary depending on the amount of sodium metaphosphate addition. In the case of 20 Wt% scattering centers have been identified as Ca10(PO4)6O and NaCa(PO4) crystals formed by a devitrification process.