Abstract: A protective layer having at least one hard-material layer is provided. The hard-material layer is formed from one or more of the following materials metal oxide, metal nitride, metal carbide, metal oxynitride, metal carbonitride, and metal oxycarbonitride. The hard-material layer has laterally closely cohesive, crystalline columns which grow perpendicular to the surface of the body. In some embodiments, the crystalline columns have a lateral dimension which is on average less than 1 ?m, preferably less than 200 nm, and which predominantly has crystal orientations which, in the case of columnar growth, have little tendency to widen out, the surface roughness of the hard-material layer having an Ra value of less than 50 nm, preferably less than 20 nm.

Abstract: The cleaning-friendly article, such as a household kitchen appliance, which is suitable for heating food and/or directly connected with this unit, has a suitable long-lasting or permanent easily cleaned coating on its surfaces that are accessible to dirt. In order to provide this easily cleaned coating a mixture is applied to these surfaces, which contains a hydrolyzable, network-forming gel and a hydrophobic substance. The gel is preferably formed from metal oxides. such as SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, In2O3, SnO2, ZrO2, B2O3 and/or TiO2. The hydrophobic substance is preferably chemically combined with the gel network. The hydrophobic substance preferably includes pre-condensed fluoroalkyl-silanes.

Abstract: A ceramic toner which is transferable to a high-temperature resistant glass, glass ceramic or ceramic substrate by electrophotographic printing and which can be fired in a subsequent temperature process, containing color pigment particles in addition to special glass flow particles. According to this invention, the ceramic toner has a thermoplastic synthetic matrix which melts in a homogeneous manner on the substrate within a temperature range of 100° C.–400° C. and which, within the temperature range of 300° C.–500° C., vaporizes in an almost residue-free manner and/or decomposes in order to obtain a toner which can be transferred especially in a direct printing mode and which has almost no synthetic matrix residue after firing.

Abstract: The cook top is divided into at least one cold zone and cooking zones heatable by radiant heating elements under the cooking zones. The cook top includes a transparent, colorless glass ceramic or glass plate and a non-ceramic underside layer or layers on the underside of the plate. The upper side of the glass ceramic or glass plate is free of any decoration or layer, thus providing a cooking surface having improved smoothness for easy cleaning. The non-ceramic underside layer is permeable to infrared radiation in the cooking zones and is a color-imparting decoration. The underside layer, at least in cooking zones, has transmission properties for visible light such that the radiant heating elements are not visible from above, at least when they are not in a switched-on state.

Abstract: A ceramic toner which is transferable to a high-temperature resistant glass, glass ceramic or ceramic substrate by electrophotographic printing and which can be fired in a subsequent temperature process, containing color pigment particles in addition to special glass flow particles. According to this invention, the ceramic toner has a thermoplastic synthetic matrix which melts in a homogeneous manner on the substrate within a temperature range of 100° C.-400° C. and which, within the temperature range of 300° C.-500° C., vaporizes in an almost residue-free manner and/or decomposes in order to obtain a toner which can be transferred especially in a direct printing mode and which has almost no synthetic matrix residue after firing.

Abstract: The invention discloses a method of producing a light-scattering layer on a transparent body, in particular consisting of glass or a glass ceramic. The light-scattering layer is produced by thermal spraying a material such as aluminum oxide, titanium oxide etc. onto a surface of the preheated body with a maximum layer thickness of 100 micrometers. The method is particularly suited for preparing light-scattering layers on glass ceramic cooktops.

Abstract: Many applications, in particular in the domestic sector, require bodies which have a protective layer with a high scratch resistance and thermal stability. One typical example is glass-ceramic cooking surfaces of modern cooking hobs. The invention provides a corresponding protective layer which comprises at least one hard-material layer formed from a metal oxide and/or metal nitride and/or metal carbide and/or metal oxynitride and/or metal carbonitride and/or metal oxycarbonitride which has laterally closely cohesive, crystalline columns which grow perpendicular to the surface of the body and the lateral dimension of which is on average less than 1 ?m, preferably less than 200 nm, and which predominantly has crystal orientations which, in the case of columnar growth, have little tendency to widen out, the surface roughness of the hard-material layer having an Ra value of less than 50 nm, preferably less than 20 nm.

Abstract: The cleaning-friendly article, such as a household kitchen appliance, which is suitable for heating food and/or directly connected with this unit, has a suitable long-lasting or permanent easily cleaned coating on its surfaces that are accessible to dirt. In order to provide this easily cleaned coating a mixture is applied to these surfaces, which contains a hydrolyzable, network-forming gel and a hydrophobic substance. The gel is preferably formed from SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, In2O3, SnO2, ZrO2, B2O3 and/or TiO2. The hydrophobic substance is preferably chemically combined with the gel network.

Abstract: The invention relates to a flat bodies, for example glass plates or glass ceramic plates (1), which are used as cooking surfaces for modern cooking hobs. Said flat bodies require an adapted scratch protection layer, in order to avoid marks caused by use. To this end, the use of mechanically resistant material particles for scratch protection is known. According to the invention, an especially effective scratch protection layer can be obtained when it is formed by very fine mechanically resistant material particles (3) which are randomly and finely distributed, and partially embedded, in the surface of the body (1), in order to form a structured surface. Said mechanically resistant material particles (3) are preferably embedded in an intermediate layer (2).

Abstract: The invention discloses a method of producing a light-scattering layer on a transparent body, in particular consisting of glass or a glass ceramic. The light-scattering layer is produced by thermal spraying a material such as aluminum oxide, titanium oxide etc. onto a surface of the preheated body with a maximum layer thickness of 100 micrometers. The method is particularly suited for preparing light-scattering layers on glass ceramic cooktops.

Abstract: The cleaning-friendly apparatus, such as a household kitchen appliance, which is suitable for heating food and/or in direct connection with these units, has a suitable long-lasting or permanent easily cleaned coating on its surfaces that are accessible to dirt. In order to provide this easily cleaned coating a mixture is applied to these surfaces, which contains a hydrolyzable, network-forming gel and a hydrophobic substance. The gel is preferably formed from SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, In2O3, SnO2, ZrO2, B2O3 and/or TiO2. The hydrophobic substance is preferably chemically combined with the gel network.

Abstract: The invention relates to lead- and cadmium-free glass for glazing, enamelling and decorating glasses or glass-ceramics which have a low coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 2×10−6/K, having the composition (in % by weight) 0-6 Li2O, 0-5 Na2O, 0 to less than 2 K2O, where the sum Li2O+K2+Na2O is between 2 and 12, 0-4 MgO, 0-4 CaO, 0-4 SrO, 0-1 BaO, 0-4 ZnO, 3 to less than 10 Al2O3, 13-23 B2O3, 50-65 SiO2, 0-4 TiO2, 0-4 ZrO2 and 0-4 F, as replacement for oxygen and containing up to 30% by weight of a pigment which is resistant at the firing temperature, where the glass is suitable for glazing, enamelling and decoration in both primary and secondary firing, and both the full-area and sparse glaze, enamel or decoration layers have low abrasion susceptibility after firing, and it relates to processes for the production of a glass-ceramic coated therewith.

Abstract: Modern cook-tops typically comprise a colored glass ceramic plate (1) serving as a cooking surface, which has cooking zones (2) that are heated by radiant heating elements (3), and on whose top side decorations are applied. In order to obtain particularly brilliant decorations while providing a smooth cooking surface of the glass ceramic plate (1), said glass ceramic plate (1) is comprised of a non-colored transparent glass ceramic material, whereby the decorations consisting of temperature-resistant coloring substances are applied as IR-permeable coatings (6) only to the underside of the glass ceramic plate (1). The decorations, when viewed from above, thus display brilliant shapes like a rear surface glass painting, and the cooking surface side of the glass ceramic plate (1) remains smooth.