[nanoPost] Development of a novel kind of nanocoating showing anti-fingerprint (afp) properties

Research Centre Germany

There is a high demand for clean surfaces presenting a perfect, hygienic optical appearance insensitive to fingerprints. Surfaces with antifingerprint-coatings are desirable for the household as well as for the automotive area for example or to be more general for noble surfaces.

The Institute has developed a novel kind of nanocoating showing an antifingerprint-property (afp). This means that although a fingerprint might be present on the surface it is optically invisible to a viewer. The effect is based upon the reduction of the optical contrast caused by a fingerprint. Therefore, a robust »island like« coating is generated by applying either a hybrid wet-chemical/plasma process or by a wet-chemical/UV-light process. A fingerprint characterization as well as details concerning the coating process will be presented.