Learn more about how Microspectrophotometers are used to analyze individual paint layers
Microspectrophotometers can be used to analyze pigments, dyes and additives of individual paint layers.
Paint and other types of coating materials are used to both protect and beautify. They are used on everything from cars to buildings to spacecraft. They consist of three main components plus any special additives required for create or maintain certain properties. The first component is the colorant which may either be a pigment or dye. The second is the Vehicle which acts as a binder to hold the paint together and to the surface upon application of the paint. Solvents are used to modify the viscosity and drying properties of paints whereas Additives can be anything from ultraviolet absorbers (UVA), designed to protect the paint from solar damage, to biocides to inhibit bacterial growth.
UV-visible-NIR microspectrophotometers, such as the 20/30 PV™, are used to analyze the dyes and pigments as well as additives such as UVAs. The advantage of using microspectrophotometers is that they can be used to analyze each layer of paint after it has set and dried on a surface. This makes these instruments very useful for everything from forensic analysis to studying the long term effects of the environment on paint formulations. For example, UVA materials are dispersed in clearcoats on automobiles. The clearcoat is the outermost layer and one function is to absorb UV radiation to protect the color coat beneath. Over time, the UVA breaks down and the amount of this degradation can be an indicator of exposure. A microspectrophotometer can map the concentration of UVA versus the position relative to the surface of the clearcoat.
To learn more about microspectroscopy and applications such as paint examination, select one of the following links:
What is a Microspectrophotometer?
Science of Microspectrophotometers
