New Technology Helps to Accelerate Coatings Development
POTSDAM, Germany - Developing wall paints and varnishes presents a big challenge for manufacturers. One reason is that samples merely enable them to estimate what the dispersion behavior in the reaction container will be. By teaming up with PDW Analytics GmbH, Fraunhofer researchers are now for the first time able to monitor the production of paints, varnishes and adhesives continuously and in real time – allowing them to design more efficient processes.
Not all wall paints are the same – anyone who has ever tried to paint over a colored wall using cheap white paint can tell you that. While high-quality, expensive paints have excellent coverage, bargain products allow the old, colored coat of paint to shimmer through. Application, drying properties and gloss finish differ enormously. The material properties of wall paint depend to a large extent on the size of the particles it contains – for example filler material, bonding agents, pigments or additives. That is why, when developing new paints, manufacturers want to know precisely what goes on in the reaction containers and how the sizes of the particles change during the process. Normally, manufacturers take a sample of the paint, thin it down and analyze it. This is very time-consuming; not only can the properties of the manufactured wall paint change during this time, but the act of thinning can also affect the sample. For instance, smaller particles may clump together to form larger particles. Consequently, the particle size in the sample will not necessarily be the same as that in the reaction container.