Novel glass-ceramic glazes for porcelain stoneware tiles have been formulated to assess the impact of BaO concentration on their surface and aesthetic characteristics. The investigated glazes are within the Na2O-K2O-CaO-MgO-BaO-ZnO-Al2O3-SiO2 system, with BaO content from 1.1 to 3.5 mol%. This work provides a comprehensive assessment including Vickers microhardness, scratch resistance, surface roughness, in addition to microstructural and thermal characterization. 

It is available online (open access) at the link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2025.08.207