ZHANG Xiaojun ¹, LI Wen ², XU Yanqiao ¹, WU Qian ¹

(1. National Engineering Research Center for Domestic & Building Ceramics, Jingdezhen 333001, Jiangxi, China; 2. Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Jingdezhen 333403, Jiangxi, China)

Abstract: BiVO₄ yellow pigment was synthesized by using a template-free chemical co-precipitation method at low temperatures, with bismuth nitrate pentahydrate [Bi(NO₃)₃•5H₂O] and ammonium metavanadate (NH₄VO₃) as Bi and V resources and deionized water as solvent. Phase composition and morphological characteristics of the samples were studied by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman and field emission scanning electron microscope (SEM). CIE-L* a* b* color system and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra were employed to characterize chromatic properties of the BiVO₄ pigment. It is found that the resulting products have monoclinic scheelite-structure and irregular bulk-like morphology with an average particle size of 1.7 μm. Meanwhile, the formation temperature is much lower than that of the conventional solid state method (700 ℃). When the concentration of precursor solution and pH value are 0.05 mol•L⁻¹ and 6, the BiVO₄ yellow pigment shows excellent chromatic performance, with L*=76.66, a*=0.22, b*=76.12, which is much higher than that of the commercial BiVO₄. Importantly, the as-prepared BiVO₄ pigment is applied in polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and exhibits excellent color and dispersion properties in the matrix.

Key words: yellow pigment; BiVO₄; co-precipitation method; low-temperature synthesis; high rendering