Application and Properties of Co2+-Doped BaAl2Si2O8 Blue Pigments in Glazes

Blue pigments and blue glazes play crucial roles in our daily life. Ongoing research into blue pigments aims at environmentally friendly compositions with a lower cost. In this work, Co-doped BaAl2Si2O8 pigments were synthesized by a solid-state method. The blue color of the pigments is due to the 4A2(4F) → 4T1(4P) transitions allowed by doped Co2+ in the tetrahedral coordination of the structure. The pigments exhibit excellent stability under both acidic and alkaline conditions. When combined with transparent glazes, BaAl2–xCoxSi2O8 demonstrates satisfied compatibility, resulting in blue glazes with a significant reduction in Co content compared with existing formulations. Furthermore, BaAl2–xCoxSi2O8 blue glazes possess a simple production route, commendable color performance, and cost-effectiveness.