Materials Testing Laboratory

In the Materials Testing practical, the basic methods of material testing of coatings are learned. For this, simple paints prepared in the lab and commercially available paints, printing inks and other coating materials are used.

Investigations of coating parameters that determine the process capability of paint are not only part of the practical, but are also discussed in seminar exercises.

Part of the practical includes mechanical-technological testing such as

• measurement of film thickness,
• hardness,
• elasticity,
• flexibility,
• scratch and abrasion resistance

Colour and brightness - the appearance of paint - is assessed visually and using methods such as

• brightness measurement with reflectometer, hazemeter, goniophotometer,
• colorimetrics

Rheometry is very important for the laboratory and can be carried out with three rheometers (two of them with air bearings):

• paint and other coating materials
• used in paint development and quality control

The resistance of paint and printing ink to:

weathering,
chemicals,
environmental chemicals,
food, etc.

is examined using the most common methods (left: micrograph of paint coating damage caused by drop of solvent )