Microscopic Study Of Sn02 Crystals In The Gold Decoration Layer Of Bone China

The microstructure of the gold decoration layer of bone china was investigated to pinpoint the cause of the gold cracking occurring during the manufacture of high-quality bone china. Using cross-sectional TEM analysis, it was observed that the Sn02 crystals from the matting agent underneath the gold underwent abnormal growth. When the few Sn02 crystals grew excessively, the matting oxide burst through the gold layer, resulting in the gold cracking. From this study, it was concluded that control of the size distribution of Sn02 crystals is very important to keep a high quality gold layer.