Anti-fingerprint coatings find application on stainless steel surfaces, plastics and glass. There is a high demand for clean surfaces presenting a perfect, hygienic optical appearance insensitive to fingerprints. These coatings are particularly suitable for designer surfaces in car interiors, households and buildings. Companies are focusing on high-performance surfaces for plastics and metals – a fast-growing market with strong margins and an annual volume of around EUR 800 million across Europe in 2010, and touch panels. There has been a sharp increase in the demand for touch panels used in a wide range of consumer products such as car navigation systems, smart phones and tablet PCS and the market has been expanding year by year. An important element for touch screens is an anti-fingerprint property in order to prevent deterioration and numerous lipophobic/lipophilic coating technologies have been proposed. Beyond the aesthetics, fingerprint smudges can interfere with actual viewing under conditions such as bright sunlight. This problem is more significant when multi-layer optical coatings are applied to the touch screens, usually to enhance high-ambient-light readability. Then, the presence of fingerprints can cause unattractive bluish smudges that can make the device almost unreadable. For military or medical applications, fingerprints that affect readability in high ambient light are a serious concern.
Structured stainless steel surfaces are used in the household such as housings, facings, decorative mouldings, grips, handles or faucets, general office items and especially decorative utilities and are especially sensitive to fingerprints. The cleaning requirements of stainless steel products are extensive. Anti-fingerprint nanocoatings reduce fingerprint to a minimum and can be simply wiped away with a dry cloth. They facilitate cleaning glass doors, prevent limestone deposits in shower cabins and also offer long-term protection against glass corrosion. According to Toray Industries, if the technology can be widely commercialized, a market will be created on the scale of an annual coating area of 6,000,000 m2.
n-Tec GmbH
www.nanoquadrat.de
THE COMPANY
The company is privately owned and involved in the development, production and sale of surface coatings in the nanoscale range.
TECHNOLOGY
The company produce easy-to-clean, photocatalytic, anti-fingerprint, anti-scratch coating properties for metals, glasses and polymers with automotive application as head lights, windows, felloe, varnishes as well as the vehicle industry in general. Main products are:
• x-photocat PSC: Photocatalytical self-cleaning and superhydrophilic coating for metals, glasses and polymers
• x-photocat PSCF: Photocatalytical self-cleaning and superhydrophilic coating with “Easy to Clean” properties for metals, glasses and polymers
Markets
• Sanitary equipment: Armatures made of steel, soap and paper dispenser, binds, doors
• Kitchen and household appliances: kitchen sink, exhaust ventilation, hearth blind, refrigerator, mixer, coffee machine)
• Buildings: Doors, gates, door-handle, elevators, letter-box, entry-phone
• Metal cupboards and furniture
• Articles for daily use made of stainless steel, cooper, brass or bronze
Nanoproofed
www.nanoproofed.de
THE COMPANY
The company is merchandising, applying and offering service functioning of protective, easy-clean and self-cleaning nanocoating products.
TECHNOLOGY
The coating material protects matted and shining metal surfaces permanently against fingerprints. It raises the surface smoothness, reduces the soiling and makes easier the cleaning. By a lasting union with the surface the coating is resistant compared with mechanical and chemical influence.
Markets
Protection glass and ceramics sealing. Under the registered trade-mark “nanoproofed®” the company have partnership distributors all over Germany.
ISTN, Inc.
www.istninc.com
THE COMPANY
ISTN, Inc. was founded in 1997 by Dr. Arthur Yang. Researchers at ISTN Inc. are experts in optical functional coatings and customized water treatment technologies. The company specializes in the development of organic-inorganic nanocomposites using surface-modified nanopore silica.
TECHNOLOGY
ISTN’s Anti-Stain Hard Coat is a permanent oleophobic and hydrophobic coating designed to reduce the buildup of contaminants on treated plastic surfaces. This primerless hard coat is non-fluorinated and is quickly cured by Ultra Violet light. With its superior oil and water repellent properties, stains such as permanent markers, fingerprints, lime scale, and salt residue can be cleaned off with ease and without the need of harsh cleaning chemicals.
Markets
Architectural / Building Displays, Advertisement Signage, Cabinets and Display Cases, Televisions, Portable Electronics Displays, Automotive Applications, Marine Applications.
Nano-X GmbH
www.nano-x.de
THE COMPANY
Privately owned coatings company founded in 1999.
TECHNOLOGY
X-Clean Brand
• Easy-to-clean surfaces with nano-effect in the areas of protection against soiling for glass, ceramics and metal, protection against graffiti and demoulding aids, to name but a few
• Self-cleaning surfaces through the bionic effect or photocatalytic effect for interior and exterior applications
• Scratchproof and abrasion-proof coatings for plastics, metals etc.
• Multi-functional coatings to protect metals from corrosion
• Anti-fingerprint coatings for surfaces of stainless steel
• Catalytically active surfaces as coatings to decompose odors, soot or dirt
• Protective coatings to prevent dewing and fogging.
Markets
Industrial applications are mainly in automotive for oxide scale protection and easy to clean coating for automotive glass, as well as the steel industry.
Sarastro GmbH
www.sarastro-nanotec.com
THE COMPANY
Sarastro GmbH was founded in 2001 and is a spin-out from Lebniz Institute of New Materials. Core competences are in applied chemical nanotechnology for medicine, medical techniques, life science, hygiene, cosmetics and food.
TECHNOLOGY
Sarastro produce anti-microbial, hygiene and anti-fingerprinting coatings. Lifetimes of OEM coatings are several years while end consumer products are few months (application dependent). Materials and applications patents are held by the company. Application patents are jointly held by industry partners.
Markets
Applications areas are medicine and medical technology, hygiene surfaces, soft cleaning tissues, textiles for automotives.
Nanogate AG
www.nanogate.com
THE COMPANY
The Nanogate Group is structured in two operating companies: Nanogate Advanced Materials GmbH and Nanogate Coating Systems GmbH, which offer surface technology focusing on easy-to-clean coatings. The Nanogate Group is a public company.
TECHNOLOGY
The company concentrates on inorganic-organic nanocomposites as well as self-organising nanostructures based on chemical nanotechnology; in particular, the company’s focus lies on materials-based processes to develop, manufacture and market multifunctional materials. Sicralan AP® is a transparent scratchproof coating with anti-fingerprint properties for use on stainless steel surfaces and plastics.
Markets
Main application of the company’s product is on surfaces such as windshields, architectural, shower glass, machinery and metals in auto units.
Clariant
www.clariant.com
THE COMPANY
Clariant is a global leader in the field of specialty chemicals. Headquartered in Muttenz near Basel, Switzerland, it generated sales of around CHF 8.1 billion in 2006. I
TECHNOLOGY
Clariant develops functional nano-coatings based on polysilazanes and organically modified polysilazanes. These enable particular effects to be achieved such a gas barriers on foils, protection against corrosion, anti-fog anti-fingerprint, anti-graffiti, photocatalysis, easy-to-clean or heat-dissipating. All products are based on fluoropolymer modified nano-particles in solution and can be applied to the substrate by spray application or wiping.
Markets
Automobile industry, Automotive accessories, Metal processing, Power plant technology and Anti-graffiti coatings.
