Anti-slip Ceramic Tile Surface via Layer Buckling

The patent applies a preliminary coating layer containing sintering-active particles to the green tile surface before firing. This preliminary action creates the anti-slip texture during the firing process itself, rather than requiring mechanical relief structures to be formed during shaping. The coating layer is applied in advance and then transformed through sintering to produce the desired surface morphology, thereby preserving design freedom while achieving anti-slip performance.

The patent replaces mechanical relief structures (created during shaping) with a thermal-chemical process (sintering of coating particles). Instead of using mechanical tools to create geometric reliefs during tile forming, the invention uses heat treatment to sinter particles in a coating layer, allowing the material itself to form the anti-slip texture. This substitution enables design flexibility to be maintained while achieving the same functional outcome.

The patent uses a disposable coating layer applied to the green tile surface that contains sintering-active particles. This coating layer is relatively inexpensive and is transformed during the standard firing process. The coating serves its purpose of creating anti-slip texture and is then permanently bonded to the tile surface, eliminating the need for expensive post-processing equipment like hydrofluoric acid etching installations while achieving the same functional result.

The patent introduces a coating layer as an intermediary medium between the green tile surface and the final fired product. This coating layer contains sintering-active particles that mediate the formation of anti-slip texture during firing. The coating acts as a temporary carrier that delivers the texture-forming particles to the surface and then transforms them through sintering, replacing the need for expensive direct etching processes.

The patent changes the size parameter of the particles used to create surface texture. Instead of using large grains (several tens to hundreds of micrometers) that cause skin damage, the invention uses sintering-active particles with controlled, smaller dimensions that sinter during firing to form a fine, smooth texture. The particle size and sintering temperature are optimized to create sufficient surface roughness for anti-slip performance while maintaining skin safety and ease of cleaning.

The patent utilizes the phase transition of particles from loose, discrete state to sintered, fused state during the firing process. The coating layer containing sintering-active particles is applied to the green tile, then subjected to heat treatment that causes the particles to sinter and fuse together, forming a solid, integrated surface layer. This phase transition creates the anti-slip texture in a controlled manner, producing a smooth surface that is both safe for skin contact and easy to clean while maintaining effective slip resistance.