Galvanic Corrosion Theory for Adherence of Porcelain Enamel Ground Coats to Steel

The galvanic corrosion theory of adherence between ground-coat enamels and steel was investigated as a part of a broad study of the bonding mechanism between ceramics and metals. The theory, which is outlined in this report, is based on the mechanical anchoring of the enamel into the pits formed by the galvanic attack of the enamel on the steel surface. The theory was first examined from the standpoint of the data on adherence obtained in earlier studies at the National Bureau of Standards. In addition, several experiments were performed which demonstrated that galvanic corrosion of the metal base could occur during the short firing times encountered in enamel processing. On the other hand, certain inconsistencies were observed in the data which indicated that the mechanism of galvanic attack followed by mechanical anchoring was not the only important factor affecting the bond strength.