Preparation of innovative metallic composite glazes for porcelainized stoneware tiles

Innovative metallic glazes for porcelain stoneware tiles, containing stainless steel and a special Ni-based alloy (NiCoCrAlY, commonly used as
bond coating material in thermal barrier coating systems on Turbogas superalloy components), have been studied. These new products, called
“ metallic composite glazes ” (MCGs), showed different aesthetic properties than usual lustres or metallic glazes. After heating, the surfaces of
these innovative glazes did not display any interesting behaviour, but, after polishing, a particular metallic aesthetic effect has been found. These
new glazes can be described as composite materials made of a glass matrix reinforced with metal particulates. A deep characterisation of metallic
powders and MCGs was performed by using several techniques. The glazes containing the NiCoCrAlY powders manifested the best aesthetic,
microstructural, thermal and chemical properties.