Titanium Anodized Color Is “Changeable"? Reveal The Principle And Color Stabilization Tricks!

In daily exchanges with many practitioners and enthusiasts, we often encounter such confusion: the brilliant color of titanium after anodizing treatment will change after a gentle wipe. What the hell is going on? Is there any way to stabilize its color? To answer these questions, we have to start with the principle of titanium anodizing.

1. The Principle Of Titanium Anodizing

1) The anodizing of titanium is a process full of scientific charm. It uses titanium as the anode, stainless steel and other metals as the cathode, and uses a specific electrolyte to promote the oxidation reaction on the surface of the titanium alloy through an electro-chemical reaction, thereby forming an oxide film. According to our long-term research and practice of titanium parents, this layer of oxide film is not simple, it has a very significant effect on the reflection and refraction of light. What's even more amazing is that oxide films of different thicknesses will show very different colors. Moreover, this layer of oxide film is also protective, which can be used as an ideal decorative layer to add a unique beauty to the item, and as a wear-resistant layer to enhance the durability of the item.

2) In-depth exploration from the microscopic level, if you observe the side profile of the titanium anodizing film, you will find that it is actually colorless. The reason why we can see colorful colors is because light is reflected twice when it passes through the surface and inside of the film, which in turn produces interference. Interference light of different wavelengths will show different colors. In short, differences in film thickness will lead to different wavelengths of interference light, and ultimately show rich and diverse colors.

2. The Reason For The Variability Of Color

So, why does it change color when it is wiped? It turns out that the sweat on our hands or the water vapor in the air will act on the titanium anodizing film, changing the thickness of the film. Once the film thickness changes, the wavelength of the interfering light will also change, and the color will naturally change. This is like a beautiful picture scroll. If there is a little interference from external forces, its color will lose its original harmony and stability.

3. Method Of Stabilizing Color

1) Wear Gloves To Operate

The most direct and commonly used method is to operate with gloves. Gloves are like a protective barrier, isolating our hands from titanium anodized items, avoiding the erosion of the oxide film by substances such as sweat and grease on the hands, thereby effectively preventing color changes caused by changes in film thickness. Whether it is daily play or related operations, wearing gloves can provide a reliable guarantee for the color stability of titanium anodized oxide products.

2) Closed Liquid Coating (Use With Caution In The Medical Industry)

Another method that is said to be feasible is to coat the surface with a sealing solution. The sealing liquid can form a protective film on the surface of the oxide film, further enhancing the stability and anti-interference ability of the oxide film. However, in the medical industry, due to the extremely high requirements for product safety and hygiene, it currently mainly relies on wearing gloves and not touching with bare hands for protection. Because there may be certain uncertainties about the composition and use effect of the sealing solution, which may have a potential impact on medical products, it needs to be treated with caution.

Although the color change after titanium anodizing is annoying, as long as we understand its principle and take appropriate protective measures, we can keep the brilliant color for a long time, so that titanium anodizing products always bloom with unique charm.