Optitune Technology – How we test the technology
Optitune has extensive testing facility in its own lab and in cooperation with the leading Finnish universities. Standard tests of our coatings include among others Pencil Hardness test, Abrasion Resistance test with Taber tool, Water Contact Angle test.
To learn more about how we test our coatings, have a look at the videos below:
The Pencil Hardness Test
Pencil hardness test is used to evaluate the hardness of coating compared to a graphite pencil. Pencils with different hardness are used. Test may require several measurements to actually determine the pencil hardness value of the coating First the pencil is prepared by sharpening and then flattening the tip. The pencil is placed into a standardized tool, and the tip is pushed along the coated material. If the pencil leaves no scratch, the coating is at least as hard as the pencil.
Oil-based Permanent Marker Test
Testing is an important phase in Optitune product development done to ensure that the product is up to the required task. Demonstrated below is #easytoclean feature by the test of oil repellent properties of TPD500. Using an oil-based marker pen, a line is drawn on both coated and uncoated samples to compare the oleophobic qualities of the coating. The coated sample visibly repels the marker pen, making it easy to clean with just dry paper leaving no trace behind, marking this a successful test for the coating. Uncoated surface is almost impossible to clean from oil-based black pen traces.
Water Contact Angle meter (WCA)
Water Contact Angle meter (WCA) measures the hydrophobic qualities of a surface by calculating the contact angle of a water drop and a coated surface. The higher the contact angle, the more hydrophobic a surface is.
Taber Tool
The scratch resistance of a coated surface is tested with a linear abraser tool that simulates the wear and tear a surface goes through in its lifetime.
Boiling Water Test
In a boiling water test the coated substrate is submerged in boiling water for a few hours, and afterwards the coating is inspected to make sure it has not changed visually.
Baking Test
Optitune TPD coatings can be tuned to withstand temperatures of even up to 300 °C. In a baking test the coated substrate is placed in a hot oven. After a set amount of time, the substrate is removed from the oven. A visual inspection, as well as other tests like oil pen and abrasion test, confirm whether the coating passed the test. Pass means no defects of coating on the surface after the baking.
Chemical Resistance Test
In the chemical stability test, a drop of water mixture containing salts, acids, urea etc., (synthetic sweat) is pipetted on to the coating. A cap is placed on top of the drop to protect it. After a set amount of time the cap is removed, and the drop wiped. Visual inspection, as well as other tests like oil pen and abrasion test, reveals whether the coating passed the test. Pass means no defects of coating on the surface after the chemicals impact.
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