Stainless steel becomes prone to fi 2

[wilg]

Stainless steel becomes prone to finger prints even if you have clean hands. Mostly stainless steel dull(matte) finish is used in Pharmacuetical Industry to reduce glare and this causes additional trouble with the marks.
The presence of oil from skin contact is indicative of the presence of some bacteria, or at least a medium in which they could live. Finger prints are a useful sign of loss of total cleanliness needed for sterility.
Any oil, human or otherwise, will leave a mark on stainless of any surface finish.

A good solution to the problem would be, the application of a thin, innocuous film.
This not only applies to stainless equipment but also to exposed stainless steel ductwork, low return exhausts or returns.

Are there any coatings that are anti-microbial (kill all bacteria on contact) and also prevent fingerprints because they are a thin film of polymer ?
Do these coatings hold up to cleaning materials (such as vespeen (sp))? And would they ever break down and create air-born particles?

 

[kenvlach]

See
Finger print proof stainless steel
thread330-75362
and
Finger prints on stainless steel sheets
thread367-72702

The coatings are proprietary, but I think they are silver-containing (anti-bacterial) clear coat polymers which should not be cleaned with abrasives or strong solvents.
Ken

 

[nbucska]

Isn't a thin Au film germicidal?

<nbucska@pcperipherals.com>

 

[kenvlach]

No, gold is not toxic to my knowledge, and very fine colloidal particles can be used in cosmetics, jewelry and tequila, etc. Note that gold is present in the metallic state, while the less noble silver is toxic in its ionic state.

“While silver itself is not considered to be toxic, most of its salts are poisonous. Exposure to silver (metal and soluble compounds, as Ag) in air should not exceed 0.01 mg/m^3, (8-hour time-weighted average - 40 hour week). Silver compounds can be absorbed in the circulatory system and reduced silver deposited in the various tissues of the body. A condition, known as argyria, results with a grayish pigmentation of the skin and mucous membranes. Silver has germicidal effects and kills many lower organisms effectively without harm to higher animals.”

http://www.mat-vac.com/periodic_table/47.shtml

“Silver's germicidal properties and its ability to absorb up to 20 times its volume of oxygen are employed in medicine. Thin plate is used for bone replacement and silver wire to prevent broken bones moving. Silver is also used for surgical drainage tubes. The same properties make it ideal for killing bacteria in water storage and purifiers.”

http://www.mim.com.au/z-l-s-about.html

 

[IRstuff]

AND it's a great alkali poison detector! ;-)

That's why royalty used silver and not gold for eating utensils.

TTFN

 

[quark]

I would like to call Ken 'Encyclopedia Metallica'He does have exhaustive knowledge even for the simplest things.

PS: In the late 19th century Czar of Russia arranged a dinner where all the noble men were served in Aluminium plates to the envy of less noble who were served in Gold and Silver plates.

Regards,

 

[17021978]

Stainless steel becomes prone to finger prints even if you have clean hands. Mostly stainless steel dull(matte) finish is used in Pharmacuetical Industry to reduce glare and this causes additional trouble with the marks.
The presence of oil from skin contact is indicative of the presence of some bacteria, or at least a medium in which they could live. Finger prints are a useful sign of loss of total cleanliness needed for sterility.
Any oil, human or otherwise, will leave a mark on stainless of any surface finish.

A good solution to the problem would be, the application of a thin, innocuous film.
This not only applies to stainless equipment but also to exposed stainless steel ductwork, low return exhausts or returns.