Verifying the Integrity of Coatings and Specialty Chemicals

Generally, most coatings are applied for protection and aesthetic purposes and also to provide ease of use. The formulas of most coatings vary depending on their usage. Coatings that have been determined to be dangerous or have outlasted their usefulness are being substituted with nanocomposite alternatives that measure less than a thousandth of a millimeter thickness.

With recent advancements in the coating industry, coatings now range from macro to nano; however, this presents a new set of problems for scientists studying these materials. Scientists at RJ Lee Group are adept in employing surface techniques and instruments to understand and evaluate coating and thin film applications. They can analyze metallized films employed for decorative purposes and in food packaging; assess coatings on stainless steel, ferrous-steel, concrete, aluminum, plastic or brick in building materials; check silicone coatings on “release” applications, like mold makings, bakeware, and adhesive-backed paper; assess physical and compositional features of grown and deposited thin film layers and structures; and determine metal film thickness of copper and aluminum on silicon wafers and capacitors.

Industries using coatings and specialty chemicals depend on RJ Lee Group scientists to validate integrity of products or to identify inconsistencies. RJ Lee Group verifies the size, uniformity and composition of materials in order to detect trace contaminants and ensure integrity.

New Wave Coatings

Wonder material graphene is one of the latest nanomaterials used to prevent corrosion. It is touted to be the thinnest coating in the world and is used for protecting metals against corrosion. Graphene offers similar protection properties as traditional organic coatings that are over five times thicker. Experts at RJ Lee Group are capable of investigating graphene coatings on implantable instruments, interconnects and microelectronic components to measure thickness and integrity of coatings.

Geopolymers is another class of materials that are utilized for coatings. This inorganic polymer resembles ceramics and exhibits superior anticorrosion properties. It is generally employed on concrete structures that are subjected to marine environments, on fire-resistant coating materials called hybrid inorganic polymer system (HIPS), on transportation structures, and on surfaces to prevent spray paint from sticking.

Experts at RJ Lee Group examine these coatings to find out their microstructure and chemical composition and ensure that they will shield the substrate materials.

Specialty Chemicals

Customers rely on products from specialty chemicals manufacturer to positively impact the processing and performance of their end product. Manufacturers in turn depend on customers to formulate the ingredients that define their product from other competitors.

RJ Lee Group helps users and specialty chemicals manufacturers in peripheral investigations by developing particular chemical formulas to provide meaningful data or to control corrosion that affect corrosion development based on the metals utilized; determining the influence of specialty chemicals on the passive layer of thin oxide films on ceramics, glass, metals or semiconductors; identifying reverse engineering and bio markers on oil samples to verify structure similarity; and checking for potential patent infringement or litigation.

Raman Spectroscopy

Detailed chemical images delivered by Raman spectroscopy offer information on individual polymorphs, chemical components, and changes in crystallinity. Raman spectroscopy can be used when non-destructive chemical analysis and imaging is needed. Raman spectroscopy contributes to reproducibility of product quality and production efficiency. Some examples of unique and different coating applications involving Raman spectroscopy is given below:

Paper Manufacture

In paper manufacture, the surface composition of coating layers can impact its printing and optical properties. At the time of coating application, particles tend to migrate and this causes an uneven distribution of binders and pigments. Raman spectroscopy measures this distribution in the coating’s spatial composition which often causes print defects.

Pharmaceuticals

For quantitative monitoring of tablet and pellet coatings, Raman spectroscopy is employed as a non-invasive analytical method. The coatings’ thickness considerably affects drug dissolution and is critical to ensure the quality of controlled-release dosage forms. Here, Raman spectroscopy can be used to provide direct chemical evidence of the coating instead of depending on a physical property to manage the coating process and assure the stability and quality of end products.

Nanomaterials

Nanomaterials are widely used in conductive coatings and they comprise nanowires, nanorods, carbon nano-tubes, and metallic and coating pastes. Carbon nano-tubes are employed in thin film photovoltaic cells where efficient conversion of energy relies on the quality of electrode materials. They offer excellent conductivity, which is attributed to the physical characteristics of its nanostructure. Raman spectroscopy offers structural data to assess the quality of material by differentiating carbon nanotubes as to diameter, orientation, and morphology.

Conclusion

When manufacturers turn to experts to validate material, its uniformity and composition and to prevent the prospect of foreign particulate matter, this marks the initial step in ensuring product integrity and providing a distinctive service benefit to customers.

This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by RJ Lee Group.

For more information on this source, please visit RJ Lee Group.