Synthesis of white pearlescent pigments using the surface response method of statistical analysis

White pearlescent pigments were synthesized by coating mica flakes with a thin layer of TiO2. To this aim a chemical bath deposition method was used. Deposition was conducted through homogeneous hydrolysis of TiCl4 solutions in a highly acidic environment (pH < 2). To control the hydrolysis process and to study the effect of influencing factors, a statistical method of design of experiment named as “response surface method” was used. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometery and spectrophotometery were used to characterize the pigments. It was found that among the factors investigated, temperature and time had the least and the highest effects on the coating quality, respectively. The optimal solution, i.e. concentration, temperature and time for coating was found to be 122 g L−1, 43 °C and 55 h.