Pure and cerium-doped zinc orthosilicate as a pigment for thermoregulating coatings

Abstract Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis followed by high-temperature (1050 °C) calcination was used to prepare pure and cerium-doped zinc orthosilicate (Zn2SiO4) pigments. Nanoscale Zn2SiO4 and Ce–Zn2SiO4 powders were blended with potassium silicate (K2SiO3) and then applied to the aluminum substrate to obtain thermoregulating coatings. Electron beams with different energies were used to irradiate nanoscale pigment powders and coatings. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transition electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the phase composition, morphology, and atomic-level structure of materials. The diffuse reflectance and absorption measurements of materials before and after irradiation indicated that Ce–Zn2SiO4-based coatings exhibit better radiation resistance compared to pure Zn2SiO4. Simple and straightforward preparation, as well as high radiation resistance, make Ce–Zn2SiO4-based thermoregulating coatings excellent candidates for space vehicles.