Porcelain enamel is an inorganic and vitreous coating used on metals for protective, functional and decorative purposes. After applying enamel to the base surface, vitrification firing is carried out at a very high temperature. This procedure triggers chemical and physical reactions between the two surfaces which create a new material combining the properties of glass (hygiene and hardness) and those of the metal surface base (resistance, formability and lightness). Rarely the combination of two different materials gives such brilliant and versatile results, both in terms of aesthetics and performance. For this reason porcelain enamel has always registered increasing growth, in parallel with the search for new applications and formulae, complying to ever increasing strict requirements.
On an industrial scale, enamel is used above all as a protection for ferrous materials (steel and cast iron) subject to rapid deterioration, rust and corrosion: enamelling protects them over time. In recent years applications have increasingly extended also to products with less corrodible surfaces bases (aluminium, copper, stainless steel). This is a valid confirmation of the aesthetic, functional and of this material. For these reasons porcelain enamel has been used most extensively in the home:From pans to kitchen utensils, from sanitaryware to electrical appliances and components for building.
