Doping and synthesis method effect on zirconium silicate conductivity

The colour mechanisms of blue V- ZrSiO4 and yellow Pr- ZrSiO4 ceramic pigments which strongly depend on both fluorine addition and synthesis method, are still controversial. Complex impedance has been used as a useful tool to differentiate the materials as a function of the synthesis method, microstructure and observed colour, going deeply into the resolution of controversies about the nature of colours. Representative samples of these doping pigmenting systems prepared by both classical ceramic process and sol-gel method have been studied by complex impedance analysis. Vanadium doped zircon enhances resistivity and activation energy compared to undoped zircon powder and turkish blue vanadium-zircon obtained by addition of NaF shows the highest bulk resistivity. Activation energy and conductivity decrease for Praseodymium doped zircon compared to undoped zircon. This feature is in agreement with the presence of cationic vacancies on green vanadium-zircon samples due to V4+ and V5+ coexistence and praseodymium oxide inclusions on Pr- ZrSiO4 yellow pigment