Industrial Application of Hybrid Sol-Gel Coatings for the Decoration of Crystal Glassware

The coloration of glass via melting techniques presents some unique problems with respect to the reproducibility, toxicology and economics of certain colors, especially if the market demands are highly variable. This is also the case for consumer products such as crystal glass and tableware. Traditionally, the decoration of crystal glasses is performed by laborious manual techniques, which are costly and do not meet modern market requirements. Alternatively, spraying of colored lacquers is a highly flexible and valuable tool for the development of new products. Sol-gel type hybrid coatings provide several advantages compared to conventional organic systems like high abrasion resistance, almost perfect adhesion, refractive index matching and sufficient stability in dishwashing procedures. The solubility of organic dyes in the hybrid matrix is sufficient for intense colors even at rather low layer thicknesses, which on the other hand convey the high brilliance of the base material. The development of transparent, translucent and opaque hybrid coatings for crystal glass has been completed in the last few years and the production of partially coated articles has started recently. The synthesis and properties of the coating material are reviewed and the industrial process and first market results are also outlined.