Enamel Composition for Glass-Ceramic Coatings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current glass-ceramic coatings struggle to achieve sustained and aesthetically pleasing color rendering, particularly in black and white, while maintaining mechanical strength and resistance, especially on arsenic-free substrates, and often require additional firing steps or complex installation processes.
Innovation Solution
A new enamel composition with a specific glass frit formulation, applied before or after ceramization, providing a durable, high-gloss finish that matches the substrate's color and offers contrast effects without compromising mechanical strength, suitable for both arsenic-refined and arsenic-free glass-ceramics, and compatible with various heating methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional enamels are used for coating glass-ceramic substrates, then the coating can withstand high temperatures and be deposited before ceramization, but the mechanical resistance of the glass-ceramic plate is locally reduced and the enamel can flake off
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the glass frit, specifically adjusting the ratios of oxides such as SiO2, Al2O3, B2O3, and metal oxides like Fe2O3, Cr2O3, CoO, NiO, and CuO. These compositional changes enable the enamel to maintain both high temperature resistance and mechanical strength by optimizing the glass matrix structure and its interaction with the glass-ceramic substrate.
Solution Approach 2:
The enamel coating is formulated as a composite glass frit system combining multiple oxide components that work synergistically. The base glass formers (SiO2, B2O3) provide thermal stability, while metal oxides contribute to coloration and structural reinforcement, creating a composite material that simultaneously achieves temperature resistance and mechanical durability.
2Temperature
If traditional enamels are used to achieve sustained colors, then high temperature resistance is obtained, but unwanted tints (brown or gray for black enamels) appear during cooking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent precisely controls the concentration parameters of coloring metal oxides in the glass frit composition. By adjusting the ratios of Fe2O3, Cr2O3, CoO, NiO, and CuO, the invention achieves sustained black, white, or colored enamels without parasitic tints. The specific compositional ranges are optimized to prevent unwanted color transformations during the high-temperature cooking process.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes controlled coloration through specific metal oxide combinations in the glass frit. The patent describes how different oxide ratios produce sustained colors (black, white, colored) that remain stable during cooking, eliminating the brown or gray tints that plague traditional enamels. This is achieved through careful selection and proportioning of chromophoric oxides.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If arsenic-free glass-ceramic substrates are used, then environmental safety is improved, but the interaction with enamel coatings is modified requiring new solutions
Solution Approach 1:
The glass frit composition is designed as a universal coating formulation that adapts to both arsenic-refined and arsenic-free glass-ceramic substrates. The patent demonstrates that the specific oxide composition ranges enable the enamel to bond effectively and perform consistently across different substrate types, eliminating the need for separate coating formulations for arsenic-containing versus arsenic-free substrates.
4Area of stationary object
If enamel deposits of considerable thickness are applied, then coverage is improved, but the mechanical resistance is further reduced and flaking increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the thickness parameter of the enamel deposit by adjusting the application process and glass frit composition. The modified glass frit formulation allows for adequate coverage thickness while maintaining mechanical strength through improved bonding to the glass-ceramic substrate and enhanced internal structure of the enamel layer itself.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The new enamel composition achieves intense, sustained color rendering with tone-on-tone effects and matte/shiny contrasts, enhancing the aesthetic and functional properties of glass-ceramic articles while ensuring mechanical and thermal durability, and is economically viable for mass production.
Implementation Method 1
A vitroceramic is originally a glass, called precursor glass (or mother glass or green-glass), whose specific chemical composition makes it possible to cause controlled crystallization by suitable heat treatments, called ceramization.
Implementation Method 2
Enamels have the particular advantage of being able to be deposited on the precursor glass (or mother glass or green-glass) before ceramization and of being able to be fired during ceramization
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention concerns a glass ceramic item at least partially covered with at least one layer of an enamel formed by a glass frit of the following composition, the proportions being expressed in percentages by weight: SiO2 45 - 60%, preferably 50 - 58%; AI2O3 12 - 22%, preferably 15 - 19%; B2O3 12 - 22 %, preferably 15 - 19%; Li2O 0-5%, preferably > 0 - 5%; Na2O 0 - 2%; K2O > 2%; CaO 0 - 4%, preferably 0 - 2%; MgO 0 - 4%, preferably > 0 - 4%; ZnO 0 - 4%, preferably > 0 - 4%; BaO 0 - 4%, preferably > 0 - 4%; ZrO2 0 - 4%, preferably 0 - 2%, in particular > 0 - 2%; TiO2 0 - 1 %, preferably 0 - 0.5%; the sum of the oxides CaO + MgO +BaO + SrO + ZnO further being less than or equal to 10%, and preferably being between 2 and 8%. The invention also concerns the enamel and the method for obtaining the glass ceramic item.