Binders and Coatings

The Fraunhofer WKI offers extensive technical equipment for research and development. For the work in our department we mainly use the following equipment.

Coating laboratory

• FANUC paint robots (flow-coating, airless, airmix and electrostatic)
• Bürkle roller coating machine
• Automatic film applicator
• Diverse paint-spraying devices (airless, airmix)
• Combinable UV/IR convection dryer
• UV laboratory dryer
• UV/LED dryer

3D printers

• UV printer: Moai 130 SLA 3D printer from Peopoly (13 x 13 x 18 cm, 405 nm, 70-micron laser )
• Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF): Ultimaker 2+
• Filament extruder from 3devo for the production of filaments; wood-filled polymers can also be processed
• Mini-compounder KETSE 12/36 from Brabender^® (screw diameter 12 mm) for compounding small quantities of polymers and additives, incorporating fillers, mixing and reinforcing with fibers, production simulation and scale-up; also suitable for at least 60% wood flour with a polymer carrier 

Natural and artificial weathering

Natural weathering

• Weathering station (45° and 90° south, 90° north) e.g. in accordance with DIN EN 927, EN ISO 2810 and ISO 16053
• Weather station

Artificial weathering

• QUV/spray device, e.g. in accordance with DIN EN 927-6, ASTM D-4587 and ISO 11507
• Xenon flatbed device SUNTEST XXL+ from Atlas in accordance with DIN EN 4892-2, DIN EN ISO 11341, DIN EN 15187, VW PV 3929 und VW PV 3930
• Sun tester, e.g. in accordance with DIN EN ISO 4892-1, DIN EN ISO 4892-2

Instrumental analytics

• ATR-FT/IR spectrometer
• UV-VIS spectrometer
• Benchtop NMR spectrometer
• HPLC, GPC
• DSC, TGA
• Rotation rheometer (viscosity, rheology)
• Particle-size measuring device, zeta potential
• Micro Combustion Calorimeter (MCC)
• Gradient kiln for determination of the minimum film-forming temperature
  
• Tensiometer
• Reflected light, transmitted light and fluorescence microscopes
• FTIR microscope
• Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM)

Mechanical analysis

• Material testing machine Z010 from Zwick^® with tempering chamber
• DMA thermal analysis (incl. modulus of elasticity, loss modulus, glass transition temperature)

Devices and testing equipment

• Color- and gloss-measurement device color-guide-gloss from BYK^®, in accordance with ISO 7724
• Gloss-measurement device micro-TRI-gloss from BYK^®, in accordance with DIN EN ISO 2813
• Adhesion Tester from DeFelsko^®
• Ultrasonic measuring device from DeFelsko^® for non-destructive layer-thickness measurement
• Climatic and drying chambers
• Impact tester
• Ball drop tester
• Taber abraser
• Martindale pilling und abrasion tester
• Scratch testers
• Sliding friction tester
• Crockmeter
• Residual indentation tester