Vitreous Enamel

Vitreous enamel, also porcelain enamel in US English, is a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 °C (1,382 and 1,562 °F). The powder melts, flows, and then hardens to a smooth, durable vitreous coating on metal, and also glass or ceramics, although the use of the term "enamel" is often restricted to work on metal, which is the subject of this article. Enameled glass is also called "painted". The fired enameled ware is a fully laminated composite of glass and metal. The word enamel comes from the Old High German word smelzan (to smelt) via the Old French esmail. Used as a noun, "an enamel" is a usually small decorative object, coated with enamel coating. Enameling is an old and widely-adopted technology, for most of its history mainly used in jewelry and decorative art. Since the 19th century the term applies also to industrial materials and everyday consumer objects, especially cooking vessels. "Enamelled" and "enamelling" are the preferred spellings in British English, while "enameled" and "enameling" are preferred in American English.