Vitroceramics for use in electric oven plates

• Grant number: 04/02483-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: August 01, 2004
• End date: May 31, 2007
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Gustavo Rocha de Paula
• Grantee: Gustavo Rocha de Paula
• Company: Vitrovita Instituto de Inovação em Vitrocerâmicos Importação e Exportação Ltda. - EPP
• City: São Carlos

Abstract

The production of vitroceramics (VC) is very limited to traditional techniques of fusion, conformation, nucleation (induced by the addition of catalyzers) followed by the growth of crystals in the volume of monolithic glass components.An alternative route for the production of vitroceramics is sinterization with controlled crystallization. In this case, there is no need to add nucleation agents to the glass, given that particles of impurities and defects present in the very surface of the vitreous particles carry out the function of nucleation agent. The sinterization should occur at the start of the process and only at the end should the crystallization be commenced. These materials are useful in countless applications, such as in the surface of modern electric ovens, which have no flame, merely circles (heated by electricity or infrared) on which saucepans or the food itself is placed. These plates have enormous esthetic appeal and are easy to clean with a damp cloth. In this work, it is proposed to develop, for use in electric ovens, VC plates obtained through the glass sinterization method which develops crystalline phases with a low coefficient of thermic expansion. Extensive searches of national and international patent records were carried out, but failed to uncover any vitroceramic with applications in ovens with the characteristics described. (AU)