Kobe Steel, Ltd.

Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (kobe Steel, Ltd.)

Sadako Yamada

Wataru Urushihara

Takenori Nakayama

Motohisa Miyafuji

Yoshinobu Tsuzaki

Disclosed is a member which is superior in anti-fungus property and anti-alga property, and is coated with a surface treatment coating comprising at least a layer having anti-fungus property and/or anti-alga property laminated between a topmost surface functional layer and a base, wherein the layer having anti-fungus property and/or anti-alga property comprises 80% or more of Ni, 0.1 to 10% of P, and 0.0001 to 1% of hydrogen, holes reaching the surface of the layer having anti-fungus property and/or anti-alga property are present in the topmost surface functional layer so as to penetrate the topmost surface functional layer, the opening area ratio thereof to the total area when the topmost surface functional layer is viewed in plan being from 0.001 to 10%, or the elution amount of Ni is from 0.1 to 50 &#x3bc;g/cm/week when the member is immersed in still water at 30&#xb0; C.

Member excellent in antibacterial antimold and/or antialgae effects and process for producing the same

A copper alloy comprising 0.1-7.3% of titanium and optionally comprising one or more of zinc, silicon and silver in amounts of 0.001-10%, 0.001-3% and 0.001-1%, respectively, wherein its surface layer contains an oxide containing titanium. This copper alloy exhibits sterilizing effect based on copper and antibacterial effect based on optical catalyst function resulting from the oxide which contains titanium dispersed in the surface layer. The oxide containing titanium can be produced by heating the copper alloy which has the above-mentioned composition and is produced in the usual manner to 200-800&deg; C. to oxidize titanium preferentially. In the case that zinc and silicon are contained, these elements are also preferentially oxidized by the heating, so as to produce oxides. Thus, zinc exhibits antibacterial effect and sterilizing effect. Silicon exhibits hydrophilicity. Silver exhibits sterilizing effect.

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Kobe, Japan

Sadako Yamada