Nanoparticles chemically bond on the tile surface and assure Class III abrasion resistance. By harnessing the surrounding light (natural or artificial), SurfaShield T modified tiles become active: They decompose organic material and deactivate any living microorganism. SurfaShield T coated surfaces can efficiently eliminate organic stains, bacteria, fungi, gaseous pollutants, even odours. SurfaShield T modified surfaces are safer, without the use of hazardous chemicals or disinfectants.
How is SurfaShield T applied during the tile production process?
A wet, spraying deposition method has been chosen to combine simplicity and minimum disturbance to the existing industrial processes. SurfaShield T is transparent, chemically inert and perfectly adheres on ceramic surfaces by chemically anchoring on the existing surface. The method involves overhead high quality air-spraying (HVLP or atomizing airless spraying) just after the main furnace exit, when tiles are cooled down, at surface temperature of 50-60 DegC. No other post treatment is required. Before packaging of tiles, adhesion process has been completed. Estimated consumption rate: 30-38
.How does it work?
SurfaShield T makes tiles self-cleaning and self-sterilizing. Due to their nano-size, SurfaShield T particles absorb the available surrounding light energy (natural or artificial) and a series of physical phenomena takes place. In particular, light energy is transferred to water and oxygen molecules abundant in the environment. Both water and oxygen molecules are transformed to reactive, short-living radicals (hydroxyl and oxygen radicals respectively) that “attack” bacteria or organic stains within a range of 50 μm from the surface.