Commercial organic lacquers and epoxy resins have been modified by the addition of nanoparticles to improve the key properties of scratch and wear resistance as well as photostability and weatherability.

Existing, well-developed formulations (e.g. acrylic lacquer or two-component epoxy systems) that are modified with a sol containing nanoparticles  are gaining nano structured coatings after curing. These modified systems give transparent coatings with higher wear and scratch resistance combined with superior photostability and weatherability compared to unmodified coatings.

Improvement of mechanical properties of coatings

Mechanical properties of ambient-temperature cured epoxies are measured with help of a hardness pen of the type Erichsen (scratch resistance) and by taber abraser according to ISO D4060-95 (wear resistance).

Improved scratch resistance (figure left) observed on epoxy coatings derived from hardeners modified with sol containing nanoparticles and wear resistance (figure right) measured from a modified acrylic lacquer which shows nearly the same weight loss as an aluminium oxide surface.     

Improvement of light stability of coatings

Accelerated testing of light stability is carried out according to ASTM G 154 (ISO 4892-3) using Atlas UVCON weatherometer and fluorescent lamps (UVA-340).

Significantly better weatherability than the commercial epoxy coatings is obtained by modification with nanoparticles (the lower half of each plate was covered during testing protecting the surface from light and water spray exposure)

Modification of high-volume commercial resins with nanoparticle formulation is feasible to give cost-effective applications for industrial flooring with improved wear resistance and light stability, wear resistant hydrophobic coatings for information and communication technology and new coatings for thermoplastics with additional barrier effects.

Related project:

NANOREP I, Nanosized Particles for Improved Scratch Resistance of Polymeric Materials >>>

Contact persons: Monika Pilz  , Christian R Simon