USE OF LASER SCANNING CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY FOR QUANTITATIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF PHYSICAL CHANGES OF POLYMER COATINGS AFTER UV EXPOSURE

Published

October 1, 2004

Author(s)

Li Piin Sung, J Jasmin, Xiaohong Gu, Tinh Nguyen, Jonathan W. Martin

Abstract

Due to its non-destructive properties, laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) has become a powerful tool for monitoring physical changes in polymeric coatings following ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure. Physical changes caused by UV exposure include film ablation, formation of pits and other surface defects, and increases in surface roughness. The physical changes as a function of exposure time were compared to chemical degradation measured with Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. It was found that after 400 h of UV exposure, film thickness changes measured by LSCM were not correlated to the thickness predicted by chemical degradation in an acrylic urethane coating. Local physical changes (pit formation and surface deformation) were observed that might contribute to chemical changes.

Citation

FSCT Meeting

Volume

1

Issue

No. 4

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

Atomic force microscopy, degradation mechanism, film ablation, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, laser scanning confocal microscopy, morphology, surface roughness, thickness measurement, ultraviolet exposure

Citation

Sung, L. , Jasmin, J. , Gu, X. , Nguyen, T. and Martin, J. (2004), USE OF LASER SCANNING CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY FOR QUANTITATIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF PHYSICAL CHANGES OF POLYMER COATINGS AFTER UV EXPOSURE, FSCT Meeting, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=860531 (Accessed October 11, 2025)