Enamel Paste Composition with Dual Oxygen Sources for Single-Step Firing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The automotive glazing industry faces challenges with existing enamel compositions that require a multi-step firing process, leading to high energy consumption, optical distortions, and incomplete burn-off of organics, which affects the quality and aesthetics of glass products.
Innovation Solution
An enamel paste composition incorporating a combination of oxygen source materials that release oxygen at different temperatures, such as magnesium peroxide and barium peroxide, facilitates clean removal of organic carrier medium components during a single firing step, eliminating the need for pre-firing and ensuring consistent optical and mechanical stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a multi-step firing process (pre-firing followed by firing) is used to remove organic components, then complete burn-off of organics is achieved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates oxygen source materials (such as metal carbonates, oxalates, or peroxides) into the enamel paste composition before application. These materials pre-loaded in the paste decompose during firing to release oxygen, enabling complete combustion of organic carriers in a single firing step without requiring a separate pre-firing operation, thus reducing energy consumption while ensuring complete burn-off
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the enamel paste by adding specific oxygen source materials with controlled decomposition temperatures. This changes the thermal decomposition behavior of the paste, allowing organics to burn off completely at the standard firing temperature range (500-650°C) without needing a separate high-temperature pre-firing step, thereby reducing overall energy consumption
2Reliability
If pre-firing is performed at high temperature (500-650°C) to remove organics, then clean burn-off is achieved, but optical distortions occur in the final product
Solution Approach 1:
The oxygen source materials are incorporated into the paste formulation in advance, so that when the paste is fired, the organics have already been prepared for complete combustion through the released oxygen. This eliminates the need for separate pre-firing operations that cause thermal stress and optical distortions, while still achieving clean burn-off of organics during the single firing step
3Use of energy by moving object
If a single firing step is used without pre-firing, then energy consumption is reduced, but incomplete burn-off of organics occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds oxygen source materials (metal carbonates, oxalates, peroxides) to the enamel paste composition, fundamentally changing the chemical environment during firing. These materials decompose to release oxygen at specific temperatures, providing the necessary oxidizing conditions for complete combustion of organic carriers in a single firing step, thus achieving both energy reduction and complete burn-off
Solution Approach 2:
The oxygen source materials act as strong oxidants that actively supply oxygen to the organic carrier during firing. This accelerated oxidation process ensures complete burn-off of organics in a single firing step without requiring the extended high-temperature pre-firing process, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining complete burn-off reliability
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
This approach reduces energy consumption, minimizes optical distortions, and achieves high-quality enamel coatings with improved silver hiding/blocking performance and mechanical stability, while simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
an oxygen source material to facilitate clean removal of the organic carrier medium components during firing, wherein the oxygen source material comprises a combination of: (i) a first oxygen source material which releases oxygen at a temperature of less than 350° C....; and (ii) a second oxygen source material which releases oxygen at a temperature of greater than 350° C.
Data Source
AI summary
An enamel paste composition includes: glass frit; a pigment; an organic carrier medium; and an oxygen source material to facilitate clean removal of the organic carrier medium components during firing, wherein the oxygen source material includes a combination of: (i) a first oxygen source material which releases oxygen at a temperature of less than 350° C.; and (ii) a second oxygen source material which releases oxygen at a temperature of greater than 350° C. The first oxygen source material can be magnesium peroxide and the second oxygen source material can be barium peroxide. The enamel paste composition is utilized to form enamel coated products without requiring a pre-firing step.