TÜBİTAK brought together old techniques and nanotechnology in the production of Iznik tiles, one of the most important elements of Ottoman architecture and traditional handicrafts. The nano-sized silver and copper grains used in Iznik tiles made the tiles brighter and more vibrant.

The TÜBİTAK MAM Materials Institute and the Iznik Education and Training Foundation have been carrying out joint projects since the 1990s in order to revitalize Iznik tiles, which are known as "impossible to produce ceramics" due to the high proportion of quartz in their composition. Finally, the project "Carrying Our Cultural Heritage of Iznik Tiles to the 21st Century with Nanoscience and Advanced Nanostructured Material Systems", which started in 2010 and supported by TÜBİTAK ARDEB 1001 Program, was successfully completed.

Used in the 9th century and known as the first nanotechnology application in history, the "luster" method came to life on Iznik tiles with the work of TÜBİTAK researchers. With this method, which is a decoration layer that gives a colored surface effect on ceramics and provides an iridescent metallic glow, the product performance of Iznik tiles was improved.

1000 years old technique applied to Iznik tiles

In the project, the physical, chemical and technological properties of the raw materials used in the primer and glaze layer of Iznik tiles consisting of four layers were determined. By determining the optimum primer, pattern paint and glaze compositions, nanoscale pigments were used in tile patterns and the color performances of the tiles were determined. Starting in the 9th century in Mesopotamia and used in ceramics during the Seljuk period, nanoscale and nanoparticle luster glaze and luster-on-glaze technology was successfully applied to Iznik tiles. Pattern, glaze and luster glaze interfaces were characterized with advanced tests and techniques. In the project, the use of nano-pigment in tile patterns made the under-glaze colors brighter and more vivid, while silver nanoparticles were added to the tile glazes with the luster application realized for the first time.

Günay: Nanotechnology used for the first time in Iznik tiles

Dr. Esin Günay, Executive Director of the project, said that they conducted the first study on combining Iznik tiles with nanotechnology. Stating that they achieved important results in terms of originality and contribution to the world literature due to being the first, Günay said, "The project was beneficial in developing future technologies by taking lessons from history. In the 9th century, we reapplied a technique used in our day and revived the technology that gave life to historical ceramics. In this method, which was not applied to Iznik tiles in history, we used nano-sized silver and copper grains in and on the glaze in Iznik tiles. In this way, the colors are more vivid and longer lasting in the tiles we produce. This technique we have developed is used in the reproduction of old historical ceramics and in obtaining energy efficient glass."

Drawing attention to the use of the developed technique in different fields, Günay said: "With the ion displacement technique we used, we have seen that it is possible to adapt the nanotanes obtained in Iznik tile glazes and glazes to glass and ceramic glazes of different compositions with a similar method. In this context, we foresee that the luster technology applied in Iznik glazes within the scope of the project can be used in the future in the world and in our country in areas ranging from the coloring of glasses to the production of nanometal doped glasses and nanometal glass hybrid composites."