Nature of Adherence of Porcelain Enamels to Metals

An investigation of the fundamentals of the adherence of porcelain enamels to metals indicated that good adherence is the result of metal-to-metal bonds between the atoms in the base metal and the proper metallic ions in the enamel. To accomplish this type of bond, the enamel must meet certain chemical and thermodynamic requirements: (1) The enamel at the interface must be saturated with an oxide of the metal and (2) this oxide must be one which, when in solution in the glass, will not be reduced by the metal. In the case of iron, the oxide is FeO. Many of the phenomena observed in commercial enameling were investigated and found to be related to adherence, but not essential for its development. An example is the precipitation of metallic particles in the enamel. Much of the complexity in commercial enameling arises from the limitations imposed by practical considerations. For example, because enamels usually are fired in air, the heavy scale developed during the early stages of firing must be removed before adherence can be developed. Likewise, as the conditions of the enamel-metal interface change rapidly during firing, "adherence-promoting oxides" are used to help maintain the necessary conditions for the time required in commercial enameling. Surface roughness, although not necessary for excellent adherence, was found to improve the apparent adherence when the bond between the enamel and the metal was relatively weak.