Characterization of vitreous enamel-steel interface by using hot stage ESEM and nano-indentation techniques

In this study, phase transformation of the vitreous enamel and the interface steel-enamel during firing was analyzed. The thermal transformation of vitreous coating on steel was observed “in situ” with an environmental scanning electron microscopy and the mechanical properties of the steel-enamel interface were studied by using a nano-indenter. The interface reactions and the resulting structure can strongly influence the adhesion mechanism between glass coatings and the metal substrate. An in-depth investigation and structural characterization was therefore performed to define the correlation between interface morphology and the final chemical and mechanical properties of the enamel-steel interface.