Atomic layer deposition (ALD) was introduced at the 2010 Santa Fe Symposium as a new method to protect silver against tarnishing. With ALD a thin film can be applied, which is a durable and invisible coating on silver to prevent tarnish. Traditionally, ALD has mainly been used in the semiconductor and display industries, but its ability to produce pinhole-free and highly conformable thin-film coatings even on complex-shaped objects is highly applicable to silver jewelry. This paper presents the results of the anti-tarnishing tests from 2010 and further studies of ALD thin films on silver. Wear resistance and nanoscale properties are investigated. Experiences of silver manufacturers using ALD as a protective layer on silver are reported.

Authors: Nora Isomäki, Sami Sneck