Anti-Fingerprint Principle of Stainless Steel
First of all, the anti-fingerprint effect does not mean that fingerprints cannot be printed on the surface of stainless steel, but that the fingerprints are lighter than ordinary stainless steel surfaces, and they are relatively easy to wipe clean without leaving stains after wiping.
Anti-fingerprint principle and surface tension
Anti-fingerprint is achieved by coating the surface with a water-repellent material film, which makes it difficult to adhere to stains like a lotus leaf, and the adherent will not be able to stand and spread on the surface to achieve the anti-fingerprint effect.
The inability of adherents to stand on the surface and spread is an important factor in achieving anti-fingerprints. To make it difficult for the adherend to stand and spread on the surface, this involves the problem of reducing the surface tension of the contact surface. Surface tension is a manifestation of molecular force. It is generated between the contact edges of the liquid and gas when the liquid and gas are in contact.
It is determined by the special conditions of the liquid molecules on 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 the same, and tends to the same point), so the small droplets in the air tend to be in the shape of a sphere.
Simply put, the role of surface tension is to make the surface of the liquid have a tendency to shrink, which is related to the properties of the liquid, and has nothing to do with the size of the liquid surface. Surface tension can also be regarded as surface free energy, which can be approximately regarded as the active state of the surface. The greater the surface tension, that is, the greater the surface energy, it can also be considered that the more active the surface, the easier it is to adhere to other objects.
Generally, the surface of organic matter and the high polymer is a low-energy surface, which is difficult to adhere to, and inorganic salts such as oxides are high-energy surfaces and are easy to adhere to. To achieve anti-fingerprint is to reduce the surface tension of the surface by coating a layer, making it difficult for fingerprints, sweat, etc. to adhere to the surface.
Before painting, the surface of stainless steel should be treated, such as degreasing, using a weak alkaline cleaning agent or solvent to remove stains such as oil and moisture on the surface of the substrate, preferably phosphating to enhance adhesion.
After spraying, it can be cured at an appropriate temperature (the fingerprint-resistant paint of different manufacturers may be different)
Another method is the frosting process, which is essential to reduce the fingerprint contact area.