POSCO develops UV-coated steel

The left side of the steel plate shows a crisper reflection of a flower on POSCO's newly-developed POSCOTEUV in contrast to the right side which is part of a product already in market. / Courtesy of POSCO

By Kang Seung-woo

POSCO has begun mass production of ultraviolet-coated steel after being the first in the world to develop it, the company said Wednesday.

The newly devised steel is coated with special chemicals and then exposed to ultraviolet radiation in a process that hardens the steel.

The world’s No. 3 steelmaker said that the steel, which is much stronger than others in terms of surface hardness, is less vulnerable to scratches and boasts remarkable gloss.

Until recently the ultraviolet coating technology, which is used for high-end furniture, semiconductors and cell phones, has not been applied to steel due to its low process ability.

POSCO, headed by Chairman Chung Joon-yang, started studying the technology for use by the steel industry in 2008.

The Pohang-based company has named the landmark steel “POSCOTE-UV,” POSCO Smart Coating Technology-Ultraviolet, and plans to supply it for use in high-end gadgets like Smart TVs, refrigerators and washing machines.

“We expect POSCOTE-UV to contribute to boosting the competitiveness of local electronic home appliances because its surface is much more elegant and cleaner than existing steels,” said an official of POSCO.