High Near-Infrared Reflective Zn_1–xA_xWO₄ Pigments with Various Hues Facilely Fabricated by Tuning Doped Transition Metal Ions (A = Co, Mn, and Fe)

Abstract

A series of novel transition metal ion-substituted Zn1–x A x WO4 (A = Co, Mn, and Fe, 0 < x ≤ 0.1) inorganic pigments with blue, yellow, brown, and pale green colors have been prepared by a solution combustion method and exhibit extremely high near-infrared reflectance (R > 85%). X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy analysis makes it clear that transition metal ions have already been incorporated into the host ZnWO4 lattice and do not change the lattice’s initial wolframite structure. The optical absorption spectrum in the UV region of the ZnWO4 pigment calcined at 800 °C for 3 h is a ligand-to-metal charge transfer from O 2p nonbonding orbits to antibonding W 5d orbits. On account of the doping Co2+ (3d7), Mn2+ (3d5), and Fe3+ (3d5) transition metal ions, these chromophore ions have occupied the distorted octahedral site of Zn2+, leading to d–d transition and metal-to-metal charge transfer from the occupied 3d orbits of A2+ to unoccupied W 5d orbits in UV and visible ranges and generating some bright colors. Significantly, these inorganic pigments are also endowed with excellent thermal and chemical stability and are conducive to harsh working conditions. All of the analysis results have offered some design strategies for various colorful inorganic pigments with high near-infrared reflectance.

Nature-inspired compositional control of transition-metal-doped ammoniotinsleyite and spheniscidite particles for design of color hue

“…In fact, the color of solution-derived inorganic particles has been reported to be controlled by doping of cations 20 and anions. 21,22 Natural ammoniotinsleyite and spheniscidite minerals often contain impurity ions such as K + , Na + , Ca 2+ , and Mg 2+ ; these impurities substitute for cations, namely NH 4 + , Al 3+ , and Fe 3+ , in the leucophosphite lattice. 4–7,10,11 Therefore, nature-inspired compositional changes of ammoniotinsleyite and spheniscidite might enable us to control the color for their use as pigment and jewelry materials.…”