Can you tell the difference between enamel and ceramic?

In our daily life, we often see items made of ceramics, such as tableware, tea sets, etc. Careful people may find that there is another kind of "porcelain" that is also very common in our lives, that is "enamel". At present, there are fewer and fewer enamel products on the market. Many "post-1995s" and "post-2000s" even mistakenly think that it is a certain type of ceramic when they see the word "enamel". In fact, these two guys are two completely different types of materials. Today we will talk about the differences between ceramics and enamel from the following aspects.

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01

One made of clay

Another one is painting on metal

The raw materials, production processes and craftsmanship of ceramics and enamel are different, so they are two completely different utensil materials.

Ceramics is a general term for pottery and porcelain. It is generally made of pottery clay or porcelain clay as raw materials, and is made through mixing, forming, calcining and other steps under high temperature conditions. In the daily life of the Chinese people, the bowls and plates used for eating and the tea sets used for drinking tea are generally made of pottery and porcelain.

Enamel is an inorganic glass enamel, also known as enamel, which is made of metal as the base and is made through enameling, drying, firing, and testing at high temperature. In recent years, enamel products have become less and less common in daily life, but if you pay enough attention, you can often see them in some TV dramas that depict life scenes in the 1970s and 1980s. Representative examples include washbasins for washing faces, large teacups for drinking water, and tableware used in canteens of military units, state-owned factories, and other government agencies.

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02

Determine the application area based on the material characteristics

Ceramics are not easy to oxidize at high temperatures, and have good corrosion resistance to acids, alkalis, and salts, and have better heat insulation than metal materials; however, ceramics are very fragile and can easily break if accidentally hit by hard objects. Based on these characteristics, ceramics are often used as kitchen utensils, bathtubs and other sanitary ware, as well as architectural decoration materials. Pottery has good air permeability and is an excellent material for making flower pots.

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Enamel is a layer of enamel added to the metal surface, so it can prevent the metal from rusting, prevent the metal from forming an oxide layer on the surface when heated, and resist the erosion of various liquids. At the same time, enamel has better thermal conductivity than ceramics. When enamel is hit by hard objects, only the surface enamel will fall off, but it will not break. Therefore, it is often used in tableware, tea sets, vases, furnishings, as well as drainage pipes, tiles and exterior wall tiles.

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03

When a teacup turns into a cast iron pot

Quality and price have improved

Enamel products were first created as an art product. Their production requires a lot of metal, which is relatively expensive. Enamel products with exquisite patterns and colors also require high craftsmanship in enameling and coloring. People who are familiar with the older generation of enamel products will find that when enamel products were used in large quantities, the enamel products we used in daily life were mostly single-color and simple-patterned styles, such as a few commemorative words on a white background.

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As this batch of enamel products are gradually eliminated from the market, new enamel products are gradually developing in the direction of high-end and personalized products, with more beautiful appearance. For example, cast iron enamel pots and enamel tableware have become popular in recent years and are sold at a high price. At present, most domestic enamel products are exported abroad, and a small number of products are sold on the domestic market. The daily utensils that were previously seen in ordinary people's homes have suddenly become fine products that reflect the quality of life. From the perspective of the public, a feeling of "enamel daily necessities are becoming less and less" has gradually formed.

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04

Recommendations for use on ceramic and enamelware

Enamel products contain metal base, are resistant to high temperatures, and have fast heat transfer, making them suitable for household heating appliances (enameled pots, etc.). It should be noted that if large pieces of porcelain fall off, they should be replaced as soon as possible to prevent the metal elements from dissolving and affecting your health.

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Ceramic products do not contain metal bases, are safe in material, and have relatively good heat preservation effects. It should be noted that when choosing ceramic cups, tea sets, and kitchenware, it is recommended to choose ceramic products without glaze as much as possible, especially the inner wall should be colorless, which is safer to use.

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Author: Yuan Zhiqin, Associate Professor, Beijing University of Chemical Technology

Audit | Cao Ding, Associate Professor, Beijing University of Chemical Technology

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