Using Ferric Chloride as an Economic Alternative to Get Effects Similar to Metallic Luster for Ceramic

Abstract

Throughout the ages, the potters have paid great attention to reach the metallic luster on the ceramic surfaces, so the Iranians initially resorted to gilding with the gold leaf (on cold), which led to the loss of the effect of gilding with time. The Muslim potter sought to develop ways and methods to obtain the metallic luster that has a permanent effect on the potteries and ceramics, to achieve the needs of the Muslim in a way that does not contradict the traditions of the Islamic religion. When the Muslims entered the palaces of Khosrau, they were astonished by what they saw of pots, bowls, drinking glasses, etc. that are made of pure gold. Hence, the Muslim potter sought to find a way to give the ceramic surfaces a metallic luster as an alternative to the pots and vessels made of gold and silver, due to their prohibition in Islam. In this study, the researcher points to the personality of the Muslim potter, which was not limited to the skill in the functional or technical aspect of the potter, but such skill went beyond that to play a positive role in society with its rich and poor classes. The poor classes wanted to acquire the vessels with a superficial appearance resembling the gold and precious metals with their luster at low cost, as well as the rich classes, as they sought to acquire the vessels with luster similar to gold and silver, but in a way that does not conflict with the prohibition of Islam to use the gold and silver in pots and vessels for drink and food. The researcher points out here that the Muslim potter is a living example of what is being taught now in the twenty first century in the field of entrepreneurship and business management from the necessity to study the real needs of the consumer and coexist with his needs and problems and work to solve and achieve them, as the potter has realized the actual needs of the consumer at that time, and sought to fulfill them through finding a cluster of realistic solutions that do not contradict the Islamic faith with the aim of achieving the desired goal.

Keywords

• iron chloride
• metallic luster
• porcelain