Why is stainless steel suddenly free from those pesky fingerprints? In this article, we uncover how a special hydrophobic coating makes stainless steel easier to clean and resistant to smudges. By reducing surface tension, this innovative treatment prevents oils and dirt from sticking. Learn how these fingerprint-resistant plates are transforming kitchens and industries, and discover the science behind their impressive durability and cleanliness. Dive in to understand how you can benefit from this remarkable advancement in stainless steel technology.
Stainless steel fingerprint-resistant plate is easy to clean, why?
We know that if ordinary stainless steel plate is pressed by hand, it will leave obvious marks on the stainless steel surface, and it is not easy to wipe off.
Then, why can the stainless steel anti-fingerprint plate resist fingerprints and be easier to clean?
What is the principle?
First of all, the anti-fingerprint effect is not that the fingerprint can not be printed on the stainless steel surface, but that the fingerprint imprint is shallower than the ordinary stainless steel surface, and it is relatively easy to clean, and there will be no residual stains after wiping.
The anti-fingerprint effect is achieved by plating a hydrophobic material film on the surface to make it have the characteristics that it is difficult for stains to adhere like lotus leaves.
Adhesives will not be able to stand on and spread on its surface, so as to achieve the anti-fingerprint effect.
The adhesive cannot stand on the surface and spread out, which is an important factor to achieve fingerprint resistance.
In order to make the adhesive difficult to stand and spread on the surface, it involves the problem of reducing the surface tension of the contact surface.
Surface tension is a manifestation of molecular force, which is generated between the contact edges of liquid and gas when they contact, and is determined by the special situation of liquid molecules in the surface layer.
Due to the effect of surface tension, the liquid surface always tends to shrink as much as possible (the pressure around the liquid is consistent and tends to be the same point), so small droplets in the air tend to be spherical.
In short, the role of surface tension is to make the liquid surface have a tendency to shrink, which is related to the nature of the liquid and has nothing to do with the size of the liquid surface.
The surface tension can also be regarded as the surface free energy, which can be approximately regarded as the active state of the surface.
The greater the surface tension is, the greater the surface energy is. It can also be considered that the more active the surface is, the easier it is to adhere to other objects.
Generally, the surface of organics and polymers is low energy surface, which is difficult to adhere to.
Inorganic salts such as oxides are high-energy surfaces, which are easy to adhere to.
To achieve fingerprint resistance, a layer of film is coated to reduce the surface tension of the surface, making it difficult for fingerprints, sweat, etc. to adhere to the surface.
Before painting, the stainless steel surface shall be treated, such as degreasing, using weak alkaline cleaning agent or solvent to remove oil, water and other stains on the surface of the substrate.
It is better to phosphatize to enhance adhesion.
After painting, it can be cured at an appropriate temperature (fingerprint-resistant paint from different manufacturers will be different)
Another method is the sanding process, which essentially reduces the contact area of fingerprints.
As the founder of MachineMFG, I have dedicated over a decade of my career to the metalworking industry. My extensive experience has allowed me to become an expert in the fields of sheet metal fabrication, machining, mechanical engineering, and machine tools for metals. I am constantly thinking, reading, and writing about these subjects, constantly striving to stay at the forefront of my field. Let my knowledge and expertise be an asset to your business.
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