Tiles are often thin square or rectangular coverings constructed of durable materials like ceramic, stone, metal, baked clay, or even glass. They're frequently arranged in rows to cover roofs, floors, walls, edges, and other surfaces.
Functional surfaces on tiles can provide a variety of unique qualities in a variety of applications. Alfa Chemistry provides functionalized surface coating services for tile substrates that are one-of-a-kind. With our extensive and easy surface modification methods, you can modify the surface properties of virtually any tile-related product. Choose to collaborate with us to ensure that you have complete control over the surface of your product!
Extensive Surface Modification Technology Options
Alfa Chemistry offers customers a variety of surface coating technologies for glass or ceramics that can be used to functionalize tile surfaces in different ways to impart a variety of unique surface properties. Our surface modification technology options include, but are not limited to, the following. Please contact us for more technical information.
- Surface Waterproof Coating Technology - We can add hydrophobic and oleophobic properties to the surface of tile substrates to make them highly water and oil resistant and effectively permeable to all liquids.
- Hydrophilic Coating Technology - We can make tiles very hydrophilic by functionalizing their surfaces.
- Lubricant coating technology - We can improve the surface friction properties of tiles by functionalizing their surfaces.
Learn more about our hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings.
Learn more about our hydrophilic coatings.
Learn more about our lubricant coatings.
Alfa Chemistry Coating Solution Cases
Case 1: Environmentally Friendly Titanium Dioxide-Silica Core-Shell Nanoparticle Coating
Alfa Chemistry's goal is to develop and characterize hydrophobic coatings for the protection of cultural and historical building tile façade. The use of harmful materials is limited in these applications due to environmental and conservation concerns. Organically modified silicates and titanium dioxide-silica core-shell nanoparticles served as the matrix and reinforcing phases, respectively, in a silicone-based nanocomposite covering.
The nanocomposite covering was made using a sol-gel technique. The silicate matrix was made out of hydroxyl capped polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS-OH) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). The researchers utilized titanium dioxide nanoparticles with an anatase crystalline phase. Silica-titanium dioxide core-shell nanoparticles were created to modulate their photocatalytic activity. Dip coating and simple brushing were used to apply the nanocomposite coatings to the tiles.
Fig 1. A piece of historical tile (a) without coating, (b) coated with the sample. (Borhani-Esfahani S, et al. 2021)
The results demonstrate that a 20 wt% PDMS-OH coating with 0.025 wt% silica-titanium dioxide core-shell nanoparticles is the best combination for creating an environmentally friendly, transparent, hydrophobic, and UV-absorbing nanocomposite coating.
Why Choose Alfa Chemistry?
- Our custom coated products are thin and green safe.
- We are experienced with custom glass or ceramics surface coatings.
- Our coating solutions can be customized to the specific requirements of your product.
Reference
- Borhani-Esfahani S, et al. (2021). "An Environmentally Friendly Titania-Silica Core-Shell Nanoparticles Coating for Protection of Tiled Facade of Cultural-Historical Buildings." Results in Surfaces and Interfaces. 2: 100004.
