
For many years, industry, designers and customers have been looking for a special surface finish that gives the substrate properties similar to the effect of a lotus leaf. Coated in such way, every application and every product gains functional, aesthetic, economic and sustainable bonus points.
What does AntiFingerPrint stands for?
We are all familiar with the sometimes unhygienic, but in any case, annoying fingerprints that we leave behind on all kinds of surfaces. Especially in sensitive areas such as sanitary facilities or kitchens, in lifts, on bell and intercom systems and many others, we find them bothering to say the least. There are also additional costs for cleaning, maintenance and, in the most extreme case, for replacing the surfaces and parts. Anti-fingerprint is the function of a surface that causes a fingerprint to only partially adhere to the surface structure or to be only very faintly or not at all visible to the naked eye. Thus, although the fingerprint is physically on the surface, it becomes almost invisible. In any case, the surface can be cleaned easily and
What does the so-called lotus effect stand for?
• The lotus leaf effect (also: "lotus effect") refers to the
function of a surface that behaves similarly to the leaves of the lotus plant.
• The
leaves of this plant have a water-repellent and thus dirt-repellent structure on the surface.
• This structure reduces the adhesive forces of the leaf surface and the water droplets
and dirt-particles on it to such an extent that a lotus effect of self-cleaning occurs, water and
other substances roll off and do not adhere.
• This is why surfaces with this type of
finish do not become so polluted from the outset (Anti-FingerPrint = AFP) and if they do, the dirt
can be removed with an easier cleaning process or the surface can be cleaned without leaving any
residue (Easy-To-Clean = ETC).
Stainless steel without fingerprints is the most desirable kind of stainless steel
• A classic example from the modern kitchen, which is known to many
people, are extractor hoods made of stainless steel.
• How often has one been annoyed by
stains, grease splashes or fingerprints on the stainless steel surface, which are very difficult,
time-consuming and often impossible to remove completely, even with the help of stainless steel
care products, warm water, but above all a lot of cleaning time and effort.
• Since
pollution of this kind can of course never be completely avoided, it is advisable to create a
preventive means of protection for the surfaces in the form of a coating.
• Here, the
anti-fingerprint coating Stainless Inox® AFP/ETC from Stainless Inox is the perfect solution,
which provides a permanent and lasting remedy.
• This especially applies to architectural
applications in public and upmarket locations, but also in sensitive areas such as in lifts and
escalators, yacht- and ship-building, shop fitting, gastronomy and catering, the sanitary and
medical industry and many more, where visual aesthetics paired with a high level of cleanliness
and hygiene through particularly dirt-repellent and easy-to-clean surfaces play an increasingly
important role.
Stainless Inox®: The nano coating with anti-fingerprint by Stainless Inox
• Since in the past there were no or only insufficient solutions
for surfaces made of metal and in particular stainless steel and these were either functionally
and/or visually unsatisfactory, Stainless Inox has developed a special coating which fulfils all
requirements to the highest degree and standard.
• The aim of Stainless Inox was to
develop and formulate the so-called Stainless Inox® coating in such a way that the properties
described above, such as AntiFingerPrint and Easy-To-Clean, are combined with a highly attractive
appearance.
• With the Stainless Inox® AFP/ETC process, which is based on SolGel
technology and in which the AntiFingerPrint and Easy-To-Clean coating is applied to the substrate
in a very thin layer (2-5 microns), Stainless Inox not only succeeds in convincing with its
functional performance, but the coated surfaces also impress and captivate with their visual
attractiveness.
• The transparent layer called CLEAR Stainless Inox® AFP/ETC lies very
unobtrusive and naturally on the substrate and is virtually invisible to the bare eye.
•
An almost unlimited number of colours and finishes leave nothing to be desired by architects and
designers.
Further advantages and special features of Stainless Inox® AFP/ETC coating:
As a leading manufacturer of stainless steel surfaces and other metals, which are produced with surfaces in a wide range of matt, glossy, reflective, ground, brushed, blasted, pattern-rolled, structured or fluid-formed finishes and additionally provided with transparent or coloured Stainless Inox® AFP/ETC coatings, we are the ideal partner and expert at your side for solutions of AntiFingerPrint and Easy-To-Clean and many others.