Polymer Coating Laboratory at SPRC
PROBE SONICATOR
- Specially designed sonotrodes (ultrasonic probes) for the effective sonication at elevated ultrasonic power levels at low or medium sonication intensities.
- To achieve homogenous dispersion and de-agglomerated phase of polymer matrix, nanoparticles and fillers in order to produce high performance coatings.
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HIGH SPEED MIXERS
- To grind pigments and fillers in high viscosity matrix.
- Used for Epoxies, polyurethanes and styrene-acrylic emulsion.
- Mixing of dispersed nanoparticle solution in slurry.
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Cone and Plate Viscometer
Viscosity or Rheology of the pre-polymer and oligomers is measured by Cone and Plate viscometer for low viscous materials from Sheen Instruments, UK.
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Kreb Viscometer
Viscosity or Rheology of the pre-polymer and oligomers is measured by Kreb viscometer for high viscous materials from Sheen Instruments, UK.
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PENDULUM HARDNESS TESTER
- Glass sheets with coatings are used to determine coating hardness by Oscillator of Sheen Instruments Ltd (U.K) according to test standard method ASTM D4366.
- The hardness of the coating applied on the glass plate is directly proportional to the number of oscillations counts.
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SCRATCH RESISTANCE MEASUREMENT
- The ability of coating to resist damage caused by abrasion on coating surface to permanent deformation.
- Test are conducted following ASTM D7027.
- The measument of the scratch resistance is carried out with the help of A Sheen scratch resistance tester (Model: 705) UK.
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IMPACT TESTER
- Used for testing impact resistance of coatings on metal substrates.
- The purpose of impact testing is to find the amount of energy necessary to cause failure of specimen.
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Taber Abrader
- Abrasion resistance of the coatings is measured on metal sheets at various thicknesses and with different loads applied on the wheels of the abrader.
- Thickness of the coating applied on the sheet should be uniform in order to obtain appropriate results of weight loss.
- This procedure determines the adhesion strength of the coating on the substrate.
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Accelerated Weathering Tester QUV
- It is an apparatus that uses extensive UV radiation as an accelerated method to simulate the effect of ambient UV radiation on the coating Panels.
- This test is best done along with an actual UV exposure in sun light.
- This enable researchers to correlate real life exposure to the accelerated weathering test data.
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EIS (Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy)
- EIS is a quantitative technique that enables to rapidly examine the corrosion protective mechanisms of coatings.
- EIS is a sensitive technique that can pick up coating degradation prior to its visual manifestation.
- This technique can also be used for development of new coating formulations, self-healing coatings or nano coatings.
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Nano Indenter (NanoTest, UK)
Nano-indentation is a robust technique for determination of thin film properties for which conventional testing are not feasible.
Nano-indentation can be used for determination of local properties of homogeneous as well as heterogeneous materials.
Capable of conducting:
- Nanoindentation (both quasi-static and dynamic)
- Nano-impact and fatigue
- Nano-scratch and wear
- Nano-fretting
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