Scientific Reports· 2026Q1
APEO-free black ceramic inkjet ink formulations based on Ni-substituted CoFeCrO4 spinel pigments
- 0citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
A new Ni0.5Co0.5FeCrO4 spinel pigment enables deep black ceramic inkjet inks without APEO dispersants, achieving L*=29.5 and viscosity of 13.5 mPa·s with 3.0 wt% Dispex Ultra FA 4488.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Ni0.5Co0.5FeCrO4 spinel pigment synthesized via solid-state reaction, optimized for phase purity and particle size (<400 nm).
- Ink formulation using 3.0 wt% APEO-free Dispex Ultra FA 4488 achieved a viscosity of 13.5 mPa·s and zeta potential of -40.9 mV.
- Fired ceramic glaze with the ink achieved a deep black color with L*=29.5.
- The developed ink is stable, environmentally compatible, and suitable for industrial ceramic printing.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract This study reports the development of high-performance black digital ceramic inks based on a Ni 0.5 Co 0.5 FeCrO 4 spinel pigment. A series of Ni x Co 1- x FeCrO 4 ( x = 0–1) pigments was synthesized via solid-state reaction. Calcination temperature (900–1100 °C) and post-calcination milling duration were optimized to obtain phase-pure spinel with primary particle sizes predominantly below 400 nm, as confirmed by XRD, FTIR, and SEM analyses. Optical properties and color performance were evaluated using UV-Vis reflectance spectroscopy and CIE colorimetry. Among the investigated compositions, Ni 0.5 Co 0.5 FeCrO 4 pigments exhibited the deepest blackness ( L* = 29.5 after firing on glaze) and were selected for ink formulation. An APEO-free non-ionic polymeric dispersant (Dispex ® Ultra FA 4488, BASF) was employed as the sole dispersing agent. Within the investigated concentration range (1.0–3.0 wt%), the formulation containing 3.0 wt% dispersant showed the best overall performance, with a viscosity of 13.5 mPa s, a contact angle of 28.6° on ceramic glaze, and a zeta potential of -40.9 mV. After application onto glazed tiles and firing at 1200 °C, the selected ink formulation developed a deep, uniform black color. These results demonstrate that the combination of Ni 0.5 Co 0.5 FeCrO 4 pigment and Dispex ® Ultra FA 4488 enables the production of stable, environmentally compatible black ceramic inks candidates for industrial consideration.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Scientific Reports, 2026 · DOI ↗
The rest is in the Pofolia app
Takeaways and questions to the paper; new summaries every day for your field. Free.
Sign in on the web to openField: Inorganic Chemistry
Inorganic ChemistryChemistry