- Alkaline earth flux
- Melts at 4406°F
- Begins fluxing action above 1994°F
- Properties are difficult to describe, so it’s often compared to other alkaline earth oxides like calcium and barium oxides
- Has similarities to both
- Fluxing properties and strong color response like barium oxide, although not as intense
- Adds strength and durability to glazes like calcium oxide
- Melts very slowly
- Thus increasing melting range of glaze
- Often substituted for toxic barium oxide
- Typical substitution is .75g of Strontium carb for 1g barium carb
- keep in mind it won’t produce the same color response as barium oxide
- Moderate viscosity and surface tension
- Moderate to high expansion and contraction rate
- similar to calcium oxide
- Not volatile at ceramic temps
- Slightly soluble
- Has no known toxicity
- Slightly soluble source of strontium oxide is strontium carbonate, which usually contains some CaO.