PROCESS FOR COATING AN OBJECT, USE OF NANOPARTICLES AND AN OBJECT WITH A COATED SURFACE

Abstract

A method for coating an object for equipping a building (1), in particular building hardware, at least having the steps outlined below: a) providing the object (1); and b) coating a surface (2) of the object (1) with a layer (3), wherein the coating is performed using a PVD process, in which antimicrobial or antiviral nanoparticles (4) are at least partially embedded into the layer (3). In addition, a use of nanoparticles, in particular for a PVD process for coating a surface (2) of an object (1), and an object (1) having a coated surface (2) are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for coating an object for equipping a structure of a building (1), in particular hardware, at least comprising the steps listed below: a) providing the object to equip the structure of the building (1); and b) coating a surface (2) of the object (1) with a layer (3), wherein the coating is performed using a PVD process, in which antimicrobial or antiviral nanoparticles (4) are at least partially embedded into the layer (3).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the nanoparticles (4) have a diameter (5) of 1 nm to 10 nm.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the nanoparticles (4) at least partially consist of silver.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the nanoparticles (4) at least partially consist of copper.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the nanoparticles (4) at least partially consist of zinc or zinc oxide.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the nanoparticles (4) consist of an alloy comprising at least silver, copper, zinc or zinc oxide.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the layer (3) at least partially forms a contact surface (6) of the object (1) for contact by a user.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least the surface (2) of the counterpart (1) consists of metal.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the object (1) is an actuating element for a light switch, a mailbox, a window, a gate, in particular a rolling gate, a revolving door, or a door pivotally mounted at a longitudinal end.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the object (1) is a sanitary item, in particular a sanitary faucet, an actuating element for the sanitary faucet, a toilet or an actuating element for the toilet.

11. Use of nanoparticles comprising at least silver, copper, zinc, zinc oxide or alloys thereof for producing at least one antimicrobial or antiviral layer (3) of a surface (2) of an object for equipping the structure of a building (1).

12. An object for equipping a building (1) comprising a surface (2) coated with a layer (3), in which antimicrobial or antiviral nanoparticles (4) are at least partially embedded.

13. The object (1) according to claim 12, wherein the object is manufactured using a method for coating an object for equipping a structure of a building (1), in particular hardware, at least comprising the steps listed below: a) providing the object to equip the structure of the building (1); and b) coating a surface (2) of the object (1) with a layer (3), wherein the coating is performed using a PVD process, in which antimicrobial or antiviral nanoparticles (4) are at least partially embedded into the layer (3).

Description

[0033] The invention and the technical environment are explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. It should be noted that the figures show a particularly preferred embodiment variant of the invention, but the invention is not limited thereto. The same reference numerals are used for the same components in the figures. Schematically:

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a device for performing the method; and

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a door handle according to one embodiment of the invention in a (partially) sectional view.

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a device 7 for performing a process for coating an object for equipping the structure of a building 1, wherein in the embodiment of FIG. 1 the object is a door handle. Notwithstanding, the process described below can also be used to coat other objects used to equip the structure of a building. The device 7 comprises a reactor 8 having a coating chamber 9, in which the door handle 1 is rotatably provided on a rotating element 10, for instance in the manner of a turntable. The door handle 1 in this case is a door handle that is set up to unlock a door by rotating the door handle relative to the door. A PVD process is used to coat a surface 2 of the door handle 1 shown in FIG. 2 with a layer 3 also shown in FIG. 2. For this purpose, a vacuum or a controlled atmosphere can be generated in the coating chamber 9 of the reactor 8. During the coating process, the material or materials of which the layer 3 is to be composed are made available, for instance, in the form of gases, vapors and/or particles in the coating chamber 9 of the reactor 8. These come into contact with the surface 2 of the door handle 1 to be coated and adhere to it. The layer 3 is thus formed by depositing the material or materials on the surface 2 of the door handle 1. The layer 3 may be of different types, thicknesses and densities and/or may be made of overlapping layers of the material(s).

[0037] The coating chamber 9 of the reactor 8 is connected to an additional container 12 via a channel 11. The container 12 is located outside the reactor 8 in this case. Alternatively, however, it can also be disposed in the coating chamber 9 of the reactor 8. The container 12 is used to provide the antimicrobial or antiviral nanoparticles 4 shown in FIG. 2. The connection of the coating chamber 9 of the reactor 8 to the container 12 can be interrupted by a valve 13 in the channel 11. In that way, the valve 13 can be used to either enable or completely or partially prevent a flow of the nanoparticles 4 into the coating chamber 9 of the reactor 8. During the coating of the surface 2 of the door handle 1, the valve 13 is at least partially opened for the nanoparticles 4 to enter the reactor 8 and come into contact with the layer 3. As a result, the nanoparticles 4 are at least partially embedded in the layer 3 and consequently attached to the surface 2 to be coated.

[0038] For instance, the nanoparticles 4 can be generated in the container 12. This can be done, for instance, by evaporation, ablation, plasma formation, or exfoliation of a solid, liquid, or gaseous starting material 14. After the nanoparticles 4 have been generated, they are conveyed into the reactor 8 via the channel 11 while the valve 13 is at least partially open. This can be done, for instance, using gravity, a pressure difference, and/or by a flow of a carrier gas or carrier liquid.

[0039] FIG. 2 shows a sectional representation of the door handle 1 along the line of intersection II-II shown in FIG. 1. In particular, the surface 2 of the door handle 1 coated with the layer 3 can be seen here. The nanoparticles 4 are at least partially embedded in the layer 3. In this way, they can act antimicrobially and/or antivirally on a contact surface 6 of the door handle 1 formed by the layer 3. The nanoparticles 4 have a diameter 5, which can be, for instance, 1 nm to 10 nm.

[0040] This embodiment reduces the effort for disinfecting the door handle.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND TERMS

[0041] 1 object to equip the structure of a building/door handle [0042] 2 surface [0043] 3 layer [0044] 4 nanoparticles [0045] 5 diameter [0046] 6 contact surface [0047] 7 device [0048] 8 reactor [0049] 9 coating chamber [0050] 10 rotary element [0051] 11 channel [0052] 12 container [0053] 13 valve [0054] 14 starting material