Silanization of corundum is used to significantly improve scratch resistance and transparency of melamine resin coatings for laminate floorings and parquet. Microparticles from corundum or other mineral powders are coated in an industrial process with extremely thin polysiloxane layers:
Corundum is with a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale the second hardest mineral after diamond (10). Chemically it is Aluminium oxide (Al2O3). Corundum crystals with other atoms are called rubies or sapphires. When the corundum is pure, it is transparents and colorless. When some additives are used with the transparent coating (paint, varnish, melamine resins,etc.), and because of the high refractive index (n=1,8), the coating becomes cloudy. Each courundum grain is coated with a silane layer, so that the refractive index is matched to the coating so that the corundum becomes “invisible”. This technique allows the production of extremely resistant transparent surface coatings.
Innovative Surface Technologies
UV - Technik
Plasma- und Ionenstrahltechnik
Silanisierung
IOT Innovative Oberflächentechnologien GmbH
Wissenschaftspark Leipzig, Gebäude 33.0
Permoserstraße 15
04318 Leipzig
Deutschland
Phone +49 341 23823 100
Fax +49 341 23823 199
E-mail: info@iot-gmbh.de
www.iot-gmbh.de