| Description |
Ceramics, humanity's oldest synthetic creations, have been pivotal in shaping our history and culture. Among the various components of ceramic artistry, glazes stand out as essential contributors to the diverse surface qualities of ceramic artifacts. Glaze compositions are complex, involving the precise manipulation of multiple variables, making their characterization crucial for both artists and archaeologists. Through spectroscopic techniques, such as infrared (IR) spectroscopy, the molecular composition of ceramic glazes can be analyzed, providing insights into their chemical structure and the creative process behind their fabrication. This paper demonstrates how spectroscopic analysis can aid artists in achieving desired glaze outcomes and archaeologists in identifying manufacturing processes and dating of ceramic artifacts. The research explores the use of visual and spectroscopic analysis techniques to characterize the variable components of ceramic glazes, focusing on the influence of flux ions within aluminosilicate glass networks. A triaxial blend of silica, alumina oxide, and three industrial fluxes (Custer Feldspar, Nepheline Syenite, and G-200 Feldspar) is conducted to create a range of glazes. Visual analysis of the resulting ceramic glazes highlights how varying industrial fluxes can impart different characteristics. IR spectroscopy reveals that spectral patterns associated with each glaze composition can't differentiate between varying industrial fluxes. |
