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COATING PROCESS FUNDAMENTALS LABORATORY
Coating Process Fundamentals Laboratory is the
research laboratory of the IPRIME Coating Process Fundamentals
Program. It is equipped with specialized apparatus and
assorted supporting instruments for measuring low-shear viscosity,
extensional response, and surface tension of liquids, and for batch
dip coating, spin coating, precision drying, and minimum film-formation
temperature. Testing is generally in support of thesis research
or collaboration with industrial researchers.
The unique capability of the laboratory is advanced visualization
of coating flows and similar phenomena that are fast, under a millimeter
thick in one or two dimensions, and difficult to access.
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Single layer slow coating bead (side view;
slot is 250 mm wide)
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Three layer slide coating bead (side view;
gap is 250 mm wide) |
Specialized apparatus includes high-speed digital cameras, long
focal-length microscopes, a variety of lasers and other light sources,
image acquisition and editing devices, and so on. Workhorses include
a transparent glass coating roll of high precision
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Precision glass coating roll and slot
coating die and |
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a machine for moving transparent narrow
tape |
Precision glass coating roll and slot coating die and
a machine for moving transparent narrow tape,
both enabling visualization of coating bead regions at coating speeds
to 300 m/m (1000 fpm). The key to successful visualization is Research
Engineer Wieslaw J. Suszynski,
internationally recognized expert and Manager of the Laboratory.
There is a companion laboratory with unique capability of visualizing
macro- and nano- structure development in drying and solidifying
coatings by cryogenic freezing and fracturing techniques together
with cryogenic high-resolution scanning electron microscopy.
For more information about this companion laboratory and Coating
Process Fundamentals Program contact Program Directors:
Professor L. F. Francis
Professor L. E. Scriven
Another companion laboratory has unique capability of measuring
stress development in coating that is drying or curing under controlled
conditions; the solidifying coating surface can be digitally imaged
simultaneously.
For more information contact:
Professor L. F. Francis
Professor A. V. McCormick
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