The computational simulation of the reflection spectra of copper red glaze

TL;DR

This paper presents a computational method based on Mie scattering theory to simulate and distinguish the reflection spectra of copper red glaze caused by metallic copper nanoparticles versus cuprous oxide nanoparticles.

Contribution

It introduces a simulation approach to differentiate the coloration mechanisms in copper red glaze, addressing limitations of traditional analytical methods.

Findings

Reflection spectra differ significantly between metallic copper and Cu2O nanoparticles.

The method accurately predicts L*a*b* color values matching experimental data.

Provides a practical tool for identifying coloration mechanisms in glazed ceramics.

Abstract

Owing to the limitation of traditional analytical methods, the coloration mechanism of copper red glaze has been disputed in the academic field for a long time, which mainly focuses on whether the color agent is metallic copper nanoparticles or cuprous oxide (Cu2O) nanoparticles. Based on Mie scattering theory, this work calculated the reflection spectra of nanoparticles uniformly dispersed in transparent glaze with different types, diameters and volume fractions, then discussed the differences between the reflection spectra of metallic copper and cuprous oxide as scatters, calculated the corresponding L*a*b* values, and compared them with the experimental results. This work provides a feasible and convenient method to distinguish these two coloration mechanisms.