Patent Description:
Enamel is a substance where a glass glaze is applied onto the surface of a metal plate. Ordinary enamel is used for a cooking appliance such as a microwave oven and an oven, and the like. The patent application <CIT> describes an enamel composition for cooking appliances. Cooking appliances such as an electric oven, a gas oven and the like are devices that cook food using a heat source. Contaminants and the like, produced during cooking, are attached to the inner wall of the cavity of a cooking appliance. Accordingly, the inner wall of the cavity needs to be cleaned. Enamel is coated on the inner wall surface of the cavity of a cooking appliance, and the like, and helps to remove contaminants attached to the cooking appliance easily. Among the technologies for readily cleaning the inner wall of a cavity, the process of pyrolysis (thermal decomposition) by which contaminants are burned to ashes at high temperatures is widely known. The process of pyrolysis (thermal decomposition) can be applied to enamel compositions including components such as P<NUM>O<NUM>, SiO<NUM>, B<NUM>O<NUM> and the like.

The pyrolysis (thermal decomposition) process described above is performed at <NUM> to <NUM>. However, while temperature drops from high temperature to room temperature, residual stress occurs due to a difference between the coefficient of thermal expansion of a base material and the coefficient of thermal expansion of enamel, and the residual stress causes defects such as chipping on the surface of the enamel.

The objective of the present disclosure is to provide a novel enamel composition ensuring an excellent cleaning function and excellent thermal shock resistance.

The objective of the present disclosure is to provide a novel enamel composition causing no defects such as chipping although the enamel composition is used at high temperature, for pyrolysis of contaminants.

The objective of the present disclosure is to provide a preparation method of an enamel composition ensuring the cleaning function and thermal shock resistance described above.

Aspects according to the present disclosure are not limited to the above ones, and other aspects and advantages that are not mentioned above can be clearly understood from the following description and can be more clearly understood from the embodiments set forth herein. Additionally, understandably, the aspects and advantages in the present disclosure are embodied via means and combinations thereof that are described in the appended claims.

To provide an enamel composition ensuring an excellent cleaning function and excellent thermal shock resistance, an enamel composition according to the present disclosure comprises a glass frit, a siloxane-based compound, a silane-based compound, and mill addition.

The enamel composition according to the present disclosure as defined in the annexed claims comprises mill addition comprising one or more that is selected from a group comprised of SiO<NUM>, Al<NUM>O<NUM>, ZiO<NUM> and TiO<NUM>. The enamel composition comprises <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of the glass frit, <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of the siloxane-based compound, <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of the silane-based compound, and <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of the mill addition.

Additionally, the mill addition may have a particle size of <NUM> to <NUM>, preferably.

An enamel composition according to the present disclosure ensures an excellent thermal shock resistance as well as an excellent cleaning function.

The enamel composition causes no defects such as chipping although the enamel composition is used at high temperature, for pyrolysis of contaminants.

The enamel composition helps to increase the lifespan of enamel by suppressing defects of the enamel. The enamel composition helps to remove defects readily without increasing costs, since a raw material for glass frits is used as mill addition.

A novel preparation method of an enamel composition ensuring an excellent cleaning function and excellent thermal shock resistance according to the present disclosure is provided.

Specific effects are described along with the above-described effects in the section of detailed description.

An enamel composition according to the present disclosure comprises a glass frit, a siloxane-based compound, a silane-based compound and mill addition comprising one or more that is selected from a group comprised of SiO<NUM>, Al<NUM>O<NUM>, ZrO<NUM> and TiO<NUM>.

The enamel composition according to the present disclosure comprises a glass frit.

The glass frit comprises <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of P<NUM>O<NUM>, <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of SiO<NUM>, <NUM> to13 wt% of Al<NUM>O<NUM>, <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of ZrO<NUM>, <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of Na<NUM>O, <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of K<NUM>O, <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of Li<NUM>O, <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of B<NUM>O<NUM>, <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of TiO<NUM>, <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of NaF, <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of CoO, <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of MnO<NUM>, <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of NiO, <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of Fe<NUM>O<NUM>, and <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of one or more of CaO and MgO, with respect to <NUM> wt% of the glass frit, to improve the chemical resistance, thermal properties and exterior features of enamel.

The enamel composition according to the present disclosure comprises a siloxane-based compound, and a silane-based compound. The siloxane-based compound and the silane-based compound are added to improve the functionality of the enamel composition. The siloxane-based compound and the silane-based compound help to improve dispersion properties at a time when the enamel composition is coated and to improve the mechanical properties of an enamel coating layer that is formed based on the enamel composition.

Preferably, the siloxane-based compound may comprise polymethylhydrosiloxane or polydimethylsiloxane.

The silane-based compound may comprise an amino silane-based compound, and for example, a compound such as amino propyl trimethoxy silane may be used as the silane-based compound.

The enamel composition according to the present disclosure comprises mill addition comprising one or more that is selected from a group comprised of SiO<NUM>, Al<NUM>O<NUM>, ZrO<NUM> and TiO<NUM>, to prevent defects such as chipping from being formed on the surface of enamel.

As described above, while temperature drops from high temperature to room temperature, residual stress occurs due to a difference between the coefficient of thermal expansion of a base material and the coefficient of thermal expansion of enamel, and the residual stress may cause defects such as chipping on the surface of the enamel. Referring to <FIG>, it is often found that the machining model part or edge part of the cavity and door frame of an oven is chipped.

The enamel composition according to the present disclosure may suppress the occurrence of defects such as chipping since the mill addition is added to the enamel composition.

While an enamel coating using the enamel composition is burned, gas such as N<NUM>, CO<NUM>, CO, H<NUM> and the like is released from the base material, and is trapped in the enamel coating and forms a bubble structure.

The bubble structure is affected by the viscosity of enamel, and ordinarily, in a big-sized bubble, a crack may be caused easily by an impact and stress.

In the case where mill addition comprising one or more that is selected from a group comprised of SiO<NUM>, Al<NUM>O<NUM>, ZrO<NUM> and TiO<NUM> is added to an enamel composition, the addition of mill addition to the enamel composition affects the viscosity of enamel, thereby making it possible to control the bubble structure.

Preferably, the mill addition has a particle size of <NUM> to <NUM>, thereby making it easy to control the bubble structure that is formed because of the generation of gas.

Additionally, the enamel composition according to the present disclosure comprises <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of the glass frit, <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of the siloxane-based compound, <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of the silane-based compound, and <NUM> to <NUM> wt% of the mill addition. Since the enamel composition according to the present disclosure has the above content range, the bubble structure formed based on the generation of gas may be easily controlled.

The enamel composition according to the present disclosure comprises the glass frit, the siloxane-based compound, the silane-based compound, and the mill addition, as described above, to suppress defects such as chipping formed on the surface of enamel.

The preparation method of an enamel composition according to the present disclosure as defined in the annexed claims comprises preparing and melting a glass frit material, cooling the material and preparing a glass frit, adding mill addition comprising one or more that is selected from a group comprised of SiO<NUM>, Al<NUM>O<NUM>, ZrO<NUM> and TiO<NUM>, a siloxane-based compound and a silane-based compound to the glass frits and preparing a mixture, and stirring and grinding the mixture.

After the glass frit material is sufficiently mixed, a material for the enamel composition is melted. Preferably, the material for the composition may be melted with a temperature range of <NUM> to <NUM>. Additionally, the material for the composition may be melted for <NUM> to <NUM> hours.

Then the melted composition may be rapidly cooled by a quenching roller, with a chiller and the like. Accordingly, the glass frit may be prepared.

Then the mill addition comprising one or more that is selected form a group comprised of SiO<NUM>, Al<NUM>O<NUM>, ZrO<NUM> and TiO<NUM>, the siloxane-based compound and the silane-based compound are added to the glass frits, to prepare a mixture.

Herein, particles having a particle size of <NUM> to <NUM> may be used as the mill addition. Additionally, the siloxane-based compound may comprise polymethylhydrosiloxane or polydimethylsiloxane. Further, the silane-based compound may comprise an amino silane-based compound, and for example, a compound such as amino propyl trimethoxy silane may be used as the silane-based compound. After the preparation of the mixture, the mixture is stirred and ground, to prepare an enamel composition. The grinding step may be carried out based on the ball milling method, and the grinding process may be performed for about <NUM> to <NUM> hours.

After the stirring and grinding steps, the particle size of the enamel composition may be adjusted to about <NUM>.

Then the enamel composition according to the present disclosure may be coated on one surface of a target object, on which the composition is to be coated. The target object may be some or all of a metal plate, a glass plate, and a part of a cooking appliance. Preferably, the enamel composition according o the present disclosure may be coated on the exterior of a cooking appliance, which cannot be treated thermally.

Referring to <FIG>, a cooking appliance <NUM> according to the present disclosure comprises a cavity <NUM> having a cooking space, a door <NUM> selectively opening and closing the cooking space, at least one heat source <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> providing heat for heating a cooking target in the cooking space, and a coating layer that is formed by an enamel composition according to the present disclosure and coated on the inner surface of the cavity <NUM> or the door <NUM>.

The cavity <NUM> may be formed into a cuboid having an open front surface. The heat source <NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM> may comprise a convention assembly <NUM> allowing heated air to be discharged into the cavity <NUM>, an upper heater <NUM> being disposed on the cavity <NUM>, and a lower heater <NUM> being disposed under the cavity <NUM>. The upper heater <NUM> and the lower heater <NUM> may be provided inside or outside the cavity <NUM>. The heat source <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may not necessarily include the convection assembly <NUM>, the upper heater <NUM> and the lower heater <NUM>. That is, the heat source <NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM> may comprise any one or more of the convection assembly13, the upper heater <NUM> and the lower heater <NUM>.

The enamel composition according to the present disclosure may be coated on the inner surface of the cavity <NUM>, the door <NUM> or the door glass <NUM>' of the cooking appliance <NUM>, based on the dry process or the wet process. The cavity <NUM> and the door <NUM> may be made of a metal plate, and the coating layer using the enamel composition according to the present disclosure may be directly coated on the metal plate, as a single layer.

Additionally, the enamel composition according to the present disclosure may be applied to a cooking appliance comprising a glass plate, and at least one of heat sources, which is disposed under the glass plate. The coating layer formed by a glass composition according to the present disclosure may be disposed on the glass plate.

Hereafter, detailed aspects according to the present disclosure are described based on embodiments.

A glass frit having composition ratios listed in table <NUM> hereafter was manufactured. A raw material for each component was sufficiently mixed for three hours in a V-mixer. Herein, NH<NUM>H<NUM>PO<NUM> was used as a raw material for P<NUM>O<NUM>. Na<NUM>CO<NUM>, K<NUM>CO<NUM>, and Li<NUM>CO<NUM> were respectively used as a raw material for Na<NUM>O, K<NUM>O, and Li<NUM>O. The remaining components are listed in table <NUM>. The mixed materials were sufficiently melted for one and a half hours at <NUM> and were rapidly cooled in a quenching roller. Then a glass frit was obtained.

Additives listed in table <NUM> hereafter were added to the glass frit obtained through the above steps to prepare a mixture, and the mixture was ground for about five hours with a grinder (ball mill) and then passed through a <NUM> mesh sieve (ASTM C285-<NUM>). Powders having passed through the mesh sieve had a particle size of about <NUM> or less, and were used as an enamel composition.

The enamel composition prepared as described above sprayed on a stainless steel plate of <NUM>×<NUM> and thickness of <NUM> or less with an ordinary corona discharge gun. The voltage of the discharge gun was controlled under the conditions of <NUM> kV to <NUM> kV. The sample was burned for <NUM> to <NUM> seconds at about <NUM>.

The thermal shock resistance of the samples in the embodiments and comparative example was evaluated as described hereafter.

The samples were heated for <NUM> minutes in a thermostat of <NUM> and then taken out of the thermostat, and put into water of room temperature, to see if there is a line crack or a separation.

The samples were heated for <NUM> minutes in a thermostat of <NUM> and then taken out of the thermostat, and put into water of room temperature, to see if there is a separation.

In the above table, the rapid cooling resistance test showed no abnormality of the embodiments and the comparative example. However, the harsh condition test showed that the enamel coating layer separated from the base material in the comparative example. The separation between the base material and the enamel coating layer might be caused by bubbles generated by gas that was produced from the base material because of high temperature.

Claim 1:
An enamel composition, comprising:
a glass frit;
a siloxane-based compound;
a silane-based compound; and
mill addition comprising one or more that is selected from a group comprised of SiO<NUM>, Al<NUM>O<NUM>, ZrO<NUM> and TiO<NUM>;
wherein the enamel composition comprises:
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of the glass frit;
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of the siloxane-based compound;
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of the silane-based compound; and
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of the mill addition; and
wherein the glass frit comprises:
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of P<NUM>O<NUM>;
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of SiO<NUM>;
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of Al<NUM>O<NUM>;
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of ZrO<NUM>;
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of Na<NUM>O;
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of K<NUM>O;
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of Li<NUM>O;
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of B<NUM>O<NUM>;
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of TiO<NUM>;
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of NaF;
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of CoO;
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of MnO<NUM>;
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of NiO;
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of Fe<NUM>O<NUM>; and
<NUM> to <NUM> wt% of one or more of CaO and MgO, with respect to <NUM> wt% of the glass frit.