The aesthetic and functional properties of enamel coatings on steel

In this work, the aesthetic and functional properties of enamelled steel panels were investigated. Enamelling is one of the oldest techniques to protect metallic substrates from corrosive phenomena and to improve the aesthetic aspects. This kind of coating is still up-to-date because of its durability, the possibility of creating different aesthetic effects and the eco-sustainability of the production process. Therefore, these kinds of coatings present a great potential in the field of product design. In this work, the durability and the change in the surface properties of different types of enamels are investigated. Chemical resistance, abrasion resistance and ultraviolet radiation (UV) exposure resistance were studied. To determine the chemical resistance, the samples were immersed in acid and basic solutions. Gloss and colour changes were measured. The falling abrasive test was used to evaluate the abrasion resistance: gloss changes were measured to determine the loss of aesthetic properties, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to evaluate the loss of protective properties. Gloss and colour changes were measured after 1000 h of UV exposure. Optical microscopy and environmental scanning electron microscopy were used to study the morphology of the damage and correlate it to the gloss and colour changes. All the samples presented good resistance in acid solution and good UV exposure resistance. For the other tests the results varied and were correlated to the characteristics of the enamels in terms of composition, thickness, surface roughness and application technique.