Antibacterial Stainless Steel: a new material with both structural and functional characteristics
In the production of kitchen equipment, medical equipment, bathroom supplies, and cleaning and decoration, people have been looking forward to the emergence of new metal materials that can be both antibacterial and styling.
A new material with both structural and functional characteristics-antibacterial stainless steel has not only the mechanical properties of structural materials but also the physical and chemical properties of functional materials. Like ordinary stainless steel, it has the decoration and beautification function as a component, and it also has antibacterial properties. , The self-cleaning effect of sterilization.
Data shows that, now, the widely used antibacterial agents are mainly organic antibacterial agents and inorganic antibacterial agents. Organic antibacterial agents have a long history and have been widely used in the medical field, mainly by spraying or soaking. However, they are insufficient in terms of safety, durability, broad-spectrum antibacterial properties, and heat resistance.
They are especially harmful to the human body and the environment, and cannot be used on many occasions. Inorganic antibacterial agents are mainly used as additives to make cloth, plastic products, activated carbon, sanitary ceramics, etc. with antibacterial effects, and the scope of application is becoming more and more extensive. However, in terms of heat resistance, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, strength, and formability, it cannot meet many daily use requirements.
Therefore, in the manufacture of kitchen machinery, medical equipment, bathroom supplies, and cleaning and decoration, it is necessary to use metal products with antibacterial effects, various shapes, and beautiful appearances. This newly-born stainless steel with antibacterial and antibacterial effects is undoubtedly an ideal product in people’s minds.
Antibacterial stainless steel is divided into two types according to the antibacterial production method: coating type and self-antibacterial type. The former can transform existing stainless steel products, that is, to coat stainless steel with bactericidal metal materials or other bactericidal inorganic materials, but the disadvantage is that it is easy to wear, easy to age, and changes with temperature difference and external environment.
Change, so that stainless steel loses antibacterial properties; the latter is to add some antibacterial metal elements in the stainless steel production process, and then through special treatment to make the stainless steel itself antibacterial, it does not have the shortcomings of the former and is low in cost and easy Processing.
Escherichia coli kill rate is 99.9%, Staphylococcus aureus kill rate is 99.5%, Candida albicans kill rate is 99.0%, and Black Bacteria kill rate is 86.6%. Common sense tells us that these 4 kinds of bacteria are the most common in daily life and can achieve such a killing effect, which proves the broad-spectrum antibacterial properties of antibacterial stainless steel.
With the adjustment and optimization of the material composition and microstructure, the antibacterial effect will be further improved. In the antibacterial/antibacterial test in the aqueous solution, the antibacterial stainless steel test piece was immersed in the prepared bacterial liquid, and after soaking for different times, the number of colonies in the bacterial liquid was observed.
The results showed that the killing rate of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus reached 90%-95%, indicating that the material can also kill bacteria in an aqueous solution. That is, it can not only kill bacteria in direct contact but also kill bacteria in indirect contact through the diffusion of the solution.
At present, there is no clear definition of “sterilization” and “antibacterial” in the field of materials. Antibacterial is generally understood as inhibiting the development, growth, and reproduction of bacteria, while sterilization is to kill microorganisms. Antibacterial stainless steel can prevent the bacteria attached to it from multiplying, being killed, or suppressing the number of bacteria to a low level, and it does not change the strength, corrosion resistance, and aesthetics of ordinary stainless steel, and has a very broad application prospect. Looking forward to entering the homes of the people as soon as possible.