Surface Technology
Attophotonics offers expertise in paints, coatings and surface technology.
LACQUERS
COATINGS
TECHNOLOGY
CORONA
SURFACE ANALYSIS
We develop customized paints and
coatings for indoor and outdoor
applications. We also perform corona
treatments as well as a broad range
of tests to characterize coatings and
surfaces.
Attophotonics uses physical-
chemical and wet chemical
techniques e.g.
Also in the field of lacquer and
coating technology we develop
equipment for laboratory use or
industrial applications e.g. sputter
coaters, thermo-mixers, spray
coating units or reactors for coating
of pigments.
See also Engineering.
Corona treatment (also referred
to as ‘plasma surface treatment’)
is a surface modification
technique with diverse
applications. For instance, it may
be used to reduce the surface
hydrophobicity of plastics, paper
and textiles or render foils less
gas-permeable.
Surface Characterization
To investigate the micro- and
nanostructure of conducting as
well as non-conducting surfaces
we employ
•
atomic force microscopy
(AFM)
•
scanning tunneling
microscopy (STM)
•
transillumination microscopy,
•
reflected-light microscopy
and
•
fluorescence microscopy
Attophotonics works with various
lacquer systems, among them
•
two part epoxy coatings
•
baking finishes
•
ORCOMER coatings
•
transparent conducting layers
•
UV-coatings
•
polyaniline and polypyrrole
coatings
...
By blending with additives – e.g.
polymers, waxes, nanoparticle
dispersions – the lacquers are
adapted in order to meet our
customers’ demands.
The processibility of the modified
lacquers is tested and optimized on
in house printing lines and lacquering
facilities (see also Lab Equipment).
A variety of instruments and
standardized methods are employed
to characterize mechanical and
optical properties (see below:
Tribology & Surface Analyses).
•
sputter coating
•
thermal flash evaporation
•
monolayer self-assembly
•
wet chemical deposition
•
spin coating
•
spray coating
•
dip coating
•
nano coating
•
..
Corona treatment (also referred
to as ‘plasma surface treatment’)
is a surface modification
technique with diverse
applications. For instance, it may
be used to reduce the surface
hydrophobicity of plastics, paper
and textiles or render foils less
gas-permeable.
(Paint) Adhesion Testing
via
•
cross-cut test (DIN 53151)
•
pull-off test (DIN EN 2409)
•
adhesion µ-profiling of
surfaces for lamination or film
coating
Corrosion Testing
The salt spray test (DIN 50021)
is a standardized test to analyze
corrosion resistance of (coated)
samples.
The test is performed in-house in
a 450 l test chamber. Samples
may be treated with NaCl-
solutions, diluted acidic acid or
sulfur-containing solution.
Antibacterial Coatings
Photo-catalytic (TiO2, WO3,…) or
chemo-active (Ag & Cu)
antibacterial coatings prevent or at
least suppress colonization by
microorganisms.
Die PRESSE
Article 4 pages
Background: An electrical high-
voltage discharge at the corona
unit induces chemical processes
in the surface of the treated
material leading to the formation
of polar groups e.g.
•
with O2 --> C=O, OH, COOH
•
various metastable radicals
•
NH3 --> NH2
•
with N2 --> NH,NH2
•
with Ar --> chain breakage
•
radicals
•
followed by oxidation
Nano-composite Lacquers
By addition of nanoparticles the
mechanical properties of e.g.
lacquers (hardness, abrasion
resistance, abrasion profile) can be
improved without compromising
color, brilliance or translucency.
In the corona unit of
Attophotonics’ nano-printing-
station films with a max. width of
30 cm and a length of up to 1 km
can be treated.
Layer Thickness Testing
The thickness of coatings can be
measured via
•
atomic force microscopy
(AFM)
•
impedance measurements
•
interference measurements
(in cooperation with the
University of Applied
Sciences Wiener Neustadt)