Apple has been boasting for several years that it produces terminals whose screens are treated with an oleophobic layer that prevents the formation of so-called grease marks during use. Well, in reality, Apple has a smart marketing team, but it doesn't do very well in practice because everything we are told is nothing more than a big lie. To solve this kind of problem, a team of German researchers managed to use the candles to make the screens "resistant" to fingerprints.
By holding a glass slide over a candle, the scientists were able to deposit spheres of black soot 30 to 40 nanometers in diameter on its surface, creating the precise kind of texture that would repel oil. While it's been known what kind of surface roughness would be necessary for oil-repellency, creating it had previously proven difficult. To prevent the soot from rubbing off, the glass slide was then coated with a layer of silica just 25 nanometers thick, and baked at 1,112 degrees Fahrenheit to render it transparent.
German researchers have managed to make a layer made of silicon and soot called "superamphiphobic" that would apparently protect the screens against water and oils. Of course, it is not known how well this system works for now because official tests have not been carried out, but I, for one, am reluctant about its usefulness. Until now, no manufacturer has managed to launch a mobile terminal whose screen is "resistant" to fingerprints, and I don't think we will see such a device in the near future.
