Coating Process and Visualization Lab
- Provides numerous instruments specific for liquid applied coating and printing
- Liquid coating application (dip, slot, slide, curtain, gravure, …)
- Visualization equipment (high speed digital video, long focal length microscopes, …)
- Liquid property measurement (low shear viscosity, surface tension, contact angle)
- Complimentary rheological characterization available in Polymer Characterization Facility
Drying and Curing
- Multipurpose drying and curing ovens
- Instrumented drying apparatus for weight loss measurement at controlled temperature and RH
- UV curing lamps
- Apparatus for monitoring stress development during drying and curing (with visualization)
- Characterization of extent of curing and drying with FTIR and Raman at the Characterization Facility
Coating Microstructure
- Optical microscope with CCD camera and digital optical microscope
- Expertise with specimen preparation and room temperature SEM and AFM of coatings
- Expertise with cryoSEM of dispersions and coatings at different stages of drying
- Extensive facilities at the Characterization Facility including FESEM, TEM, AFM, profilometry, FTIR, Raman, X-ray diffraction
Coating Properties
- Taber abraser for wear characterization
- PI labs have equipment for characterization of electrical properties
- Mechanical and optical properties probed using nanoindentation in the Characterization Facility