Sol-gel synthesis, characterization and application of selected sub-microsized lanthanide (Ce, Pr, Nd, Tb) ferrites

• Pigments Ln3Fe5O12 and LnFeO3 (Ln = Ce, Pr, Nd, Tb) were synthesized.
• Two single-phase Tb3Fe5O12 and PrFeO3 compounds were prepared.
• Pigments have been used for ceramic glaze preparation.
• High quality glaze was obtained at 1000 °C using sol-gel derived Tb3Fe5O12 pigment.

A simple and environmentally benign aqueous sol-gel method has been applied for the synthesis of inorganic lanthanide-iron-based oxide pigments (Ln3Fe5O12 and LnFeO3; Ln = Ce, Pr, Nd, Tb). The phase purity and morphological features of prepared pigments were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The limit of substitution of neodymium by cerium in sol-gel derived Nd1-xCexFeO3 samples has been also investigated. All synthesized pigments were used for the preparation of ceramic glazes. The L*, a* and b* coordinates in CIELab colour space of pigments and glazes were determined.