Silicon-Modified Cooking Surface Coating to Reduce Staining
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cooking surfaces made of Ti, Zr, and Nb carbides, nitrides, or carbonitrides suffer from staining phenomena, especially when in contact with animal fats, due to oxidation reactions, which affect their appearance and ease of cleaning.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating silicon into the coatings in the form of (Zr/Nb/Ti)-Si-(N/C) layers, produced through physical vapor deposition, enhances chemical inertness, scratch resistance, and adhesion, while maintaining ease of cleaning and reducing oxidation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cooking surfaces are made of Ti, Zr, Nb carbides, nitrides or carbonitrides, then ease of cleaning is improved, but staining phenomena occur due to oxidation reactions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining Ti, Zr, and Nb carbides, nitrides or carbonitrides with silicon to create a multi-component coating system. This composite structure leverages the non-stick properties of the carbide/nitride/carbonitride layers while silicon provides oxidation resistance, thereby preventing staining phenomena while maintaining ease of cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an inert environment by forming a silicon-containing protective layer that acts as a barrier against oxygen. This layer prevents oxidation reactions between the oxygen in the cooking environment and the underlying Ti, Zr, Nb-based coating, thereby eliminating the staining mechanism while preserving the non-stick surface properties.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If silicon is added to increase chemical inertness and reduce oxidation, then staining is reduced, but coating complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the deposition of Ti, Zr, Nb with silicon deposition in a single integrated process step. By combining multiple material depositions into one operation, the patent reduces process complexity despite adding silicon functionality, achieving both staining reduction and manufacturing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by controlling the amount of silicon added (up to 15 atomic percent) and adjusting deposition conditions to optimize the balance between oxidation resistance and coating simplicity. This controlled parameter adjustment allows staining reduction without excessive complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If physical vapor deposition is used to deposit coatings, then material usage is reduced and cost is lowered, but deposition process control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing deposition parameters such as silicon content (up to 15 atomic percent), deposition temperature, and reactive gas flow rates during physical vapor deposition. These controlled parameter adjustments enable precise control over coating composition and properties while maintaining material efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the PVD process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The addition of silicon significantly reduces staining, increases hardness and scratch resistance, and improves adhesion and cleaning efficiency of the cooking surfaces without degrading their ease of use.
Implementation Method 1
The present invention aims to considerably reduce the appearance of these stains by increasing the resistance to oxidation of such coatings
Implementation Method 2
the deposits are made by physical vapor deposition, usually referred to as PVD
Implementation Method 3
a step of nitriding and/or carburizing taking place during or after deposition of the mentioned elements
Implementation Method 4
a step of nitriding and/or carburizing taking place during or after deposition of the mentioned elements
Data Source
Figure 1~3
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a food-cooking surface (8) for a culinary article or domestic electrical cooking appliance, consisting in depositing Zr and/or Nb and/or Ti on a substrate (4), the production process including a step of carburizing and/or nitriding at least one of the elements, characterized in that the cooking surface (8) also includes depositing Si so as to produce (Zr/Nb/Ti)-Si-(N/C) coatings (6). The present invention also relates to a culinary article or a domestic electrical cooking appliance comprising such a cooking surface (8).