ABSTRACT
Ceramic pigments based on the perovskite structure develop a promising red hue and furthermore present no environmental or health care problems. Pigment colouring efficiency was tested in different ceramic applications, both through-body and glazes. Final products, fired varying both the maximum temperature and soaking time, were characterized by the colourimetric point of view. Research efforts were focused both on the factors and on the mechanism mainly influencing perovskite dissolution by calculating the phase composition of different ceramic matrices and by observing the pigment microstructure. Furthermore, pigment powders were characterized by a structural and spectroscopic point of view. The pigment dissolution is slightly affected by the firing cycle and mostly governed by amount and chemical composition of the liquid phase. In particular, the larger the content of chemically aggressive components - such as calcium, magnesium, zinc and lead oxides - the strongest and faster the pigment dissolution.