Functionalizing machinable glass-ceramic for jewellery items produced by hot pressing

Abstract

The present work is centred on the development of a novel technique, tailored to enable chemical bonding between the ceramic and metal parts of jewels produced by hot pressing. The process involves the functionalization of the ceramic part in order to induce the formation of a metallic multi-layered coating, with a global chemical composition similar to that of an active brazing alloy (ABA). In the course of hot pressing processing, the coating melts due to solid state diffusion. The melted coating will then react with the ceramic substrate and the metal powders, originating the formation of reaction products that due to their semi-metallic nature enable chemical bonding between the ceramic and the metal parts of the jewel.