A. Typical Paint and Coatings Evaluations

• Air Space Analysis
  • Desorption w/CS2 from air sampling tubes; GC/MS measurement
• Application Properties (brush, roll, spray)
  • atomization (spray)
  • coalescent demand
  • contact angle (sessile drop, advancing, receding)
  • dry speed (dry-to-touch, dry-through, mechanical, laser light scattering)
  • flow & leveling (brush, roller, NYPC)
  • lapping
  • low temperature touch-up vs. room temperature
  • low temperature drying and film formation
  • roller spatter
  • sagging
  • spread rate
  • touch-up (brush, roll, spray)
  • wet film thickness
• Contaminant identification
  • Micro FTIR for ID of small particles
• Film Appearance Properties
  • color by integrating sphere colorimeter. L*a*b*, L*c*h*, DE
  • DFT (dry film thickness)
  • digital photomicroscopy (1000x w/12 Mp camera)
  • dry hiding (from porosity)
  • gloss (20°, 60°, 85°)
  • hiding power
  • opacity, intrinsic (contrast ratio, scattering coefficient)
  • opacity, applied (brush, roll, spray)
  • reflectance
  • SEM (scanning electron microscopy, up to 3000x)
  • yellowing
• Film Performance Properties
  • adhesion (cupping, pull-off, tensile, x-hatch)
  • abrasion (falling sand, Taber)
  • abrasive scrub
  • blocking
  • blistering
  • CPVC (Critical Pigment Volume Concentration) by electrochemical measurement.
  • chalking
  • chemical resistance
  • cracking
  • degree of cure (MDSC)
  • EIS (measurement of corrosion resistance by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy)
  • exposure (Cleveland Condensing Humidity, QUV A&B, Salt Spray/Salt Fog, Prohesion)
  • falling dart impact
  • flexibility (mandrel bend)
  • hardness (Clemen, Tukon/Knoop, pencil, Sward Rocker)
  • MEK rubs
  • stain resistance
  • washability
  • water spotting
• Liquid Coating Properties
  • color acceptance
  • flash point (setaflash, Tag)
  • MFFT (minimum film-forming temperature)
  • pH
  • syneresis
  • stability (freeze-thaw, heat, roller)
  • surface tension (pendant drop)
  • viscosity (Ku, ICI, Brookfield)
  • VOC by EPA Test Method 24
• Deformulation: Separation of a paint into pigment, binder, and solvent fractions, resulting in the % total NV, P/B ratio. Full deformulation or look for specific component.
  • Identification of the pigment fraction
    • qualitative by FTIR
    • qualitative by gravimetric
    • semi-quantitative elemental analysis by SEM/EDXA w/XRF
    • quantitative by X-ray diffraction (with or w/o JCPDS search)
  • Identification of the solvent fraction (GC/MS)
    • Volatiles analysis (quantitative, qualitative)
    • % water (Karl Fischer; GC)
  • Identification of the vehicle fraction
    • qualitative by FTIR
    • qualitative by pyrolysis/GC/MS
    • quantitative by chemical/instrumental methods (polyesters, alkyds)
    • semi-quantitative by chemical/instrumental methods (acrylics, urethanes)
    • % Wt NV
    • % Vol NV
    • Weight per gallon (density)
    • Acid value
    • Amine Value
    • Epoxide value
    • Hydroxyl value
    • Iodine value
    • Saponification value
    • Nitrogen (Kjeldahl)
    • Nitrogen (volatile)
    • NCO value
    • Molecular weight (HPGPC, HPLC)
    • Inorganic analysis (AA)
    • Polymer composition (pyrolysis GC/MS; FTIR)
    • Surface analysis (Attenuated Total Reflectance FTIR)
    • Particle Size
    • Tg
    • Tm
• Formulation: development of paint/coatings formula to customer specifications.
• Architectural paints, coatings, & stains (interior, exterior, porch & deck, roof, wood, cement, aerosols)
• Industrial paints and coatings (OEM, industrial maintenance)
• Toll Production: preparation of pre-commercial quantities from 5 to 500 gallons
• Generation of scale-up processing data
• Creation of technical data sheets
• Specialized packaging

B. Typical Plastics and Polymer Evaluations

• Extrusion Compounding
• Failure Analysis
• Injection Molding of test specimens (with as little as one pound of pellets)
• Processing Guidance
• Physical Testing
  • Elongation
  • Izod Impact
  • melt flow rate
  • tensile testing (Instron)
• Resin Synthesis
• Deformulation: Identification of polymers, pigments, and additives present in plastic.
  • Identification of the polymer fraction
    • DMA (Dynamic Mechanical Analysis)
  • Identification of the pigment fraction
    • qualitative by FTIR
    • qualitative by gravimetric
    • semi-quantitative elemental analysis by Emission Spectroscopy
    • quantitative by X-ray diffraction (with or w/o JCPDS search)
  • Identification of the additives
• Formulation: Development of plastic formula to customer specifications

C. Litigation Support: specializing in intellectual property, patent infringement, personal injury and product liability cases.

• Analysis of Opponents Data
• Depositions
• Expert Witness
• Expert Report
• Trial Testimony

D. Problem Solving

• Failure Analysis
• Process Improvement
• Six Sigma Approach
• Test Method Development

E. Typical Printing Ink Evaluations (water, solvent, paste, UV cure)

• Application Properties
  • contact angle (sessile drop, advancing, receding)
  • dry speed (mechanical, laser light scattering)
  • flow & leveling
  • substrate dyne level
• Contaminant identification
  • micro FTIR for ID of small particles
• Film Appearance Properties
  • color by integrating sphere colorimeter. L*a*b*, L*c*h*, DE
  • digital photomicroscopy (1000x w/12 Mp camera)
  • film thickness
  • opacity, intrinsic (contrast ratio, scattering coefficient)
  • opacity, applied (brush, roll, spray)
  • dry hiding (from porosity)
  • gloss (20°, 60°, 85°)
  • reflectance
  • SEM (scanning electron microscopy, up to 3000x)
• Film Performance Properties
  • adhesion (cupping, pull-off, tensile, x-hatch)
  • abrasive scrub
  • blocking
  • chemical resistance
  • degree of cure (MDSC)
  • exposure (Cleveland Condensing Humidity, QUV A&B, Salt Spray/Salt Fog, Prohesion)
  • hardness (Clemen, Knoop, pencil, Sward Rocker)
  • stain resistance
  • washability
  • water spotting
• Liquid Ink Properties
  • flash point (setaflash, Tag)
  • MFFT (minimum film-forming temperature)
  • pH
  • syneresis
  • stability (freeze-thaw, heat, roller)
  • surface tension (pendant drop)
  • viscosity (Ku, ICI, Brookfield, Zahn)
• Deformulation: Identification of polymers, pigments, and additives present in ink.
  • Identification of the pigment fraction
    • qualitative by FTIR
    • qualitative by gravimetric
    • semi-quantitative elemental analysis by Emission Spectroscopy
    • quantitative by X-ray diffraction (with or w/o JCPDS search)
  • Identification of the solvent fraction (GC/MS)
    • volatiles analysis (quantitative, qualitative)
    • % water (Karl Fischer; GC)
  • Identification of the vehicle fraction
    • qualitative by FTIR
    • qualitative by pyrolysis/GC/MS
    • quantitative by chemical/instrumental methods (polyesters, alkyds)
    • semi-quantitative by chemical/instrumental methods (acrylics, urethanes)
    • % Wt NV
    • % Vol NV
    • weight per gallon (density)
    • acid value
    • amine Value
    • hydroxyl value
    • flash point (setaflash, Tag)
    • % water (Karl Fischer; GC)
    • molecular weight (HPGPC, HPLC)
    • inorganic analysis (AA)
    • surface analysis (Attenuated Total Reflectance FTIR)
    • Tg (glass transition temperature)
    • VOC by EPA Method 24
    • particle size
• Formulation: development of ink formula to customer specifications.