Sun Chemical has opened a new coatings lab at its research and development facility in Carlstadt, New Jersey, US.
The new lab will enable Sun Chemical to provide enhanced services to the graphic arts and packaging markets.
Featuring 11,000ft² of space, the new facility includes modern equipment that will help to study migration, adhesion, permeability, and other performance-related coating phenomena.
It will also enable customers to use SEM microscopy, atomic force microscopy, IR surface mapping, surface energy measurement and other techniques to advance the fundamental understanding of key coatings performance attributes.
The new lab includes gas transmission rate analyzers, glass bottle testing instrumentation, and coatings spraying equipment, which will allow to develop new and improved water, solvent, and energy curable primers, inks, and coatings.
The firm is also planning to add a lab laminator in the next year to help study the interaction between ink, substrate, primers, overprint varnishes and laminating adhesives.
Sun Chemical chief technology officer Russell Schwartz said: “This enhanced capability will help us expand our product range offerings into an evolving packaging market that includes laminating adhesives, glass decoration, and printed electronics.
“The integration of coatings technology with ink, polymer, and functional materials development within the same technical organization and facility transcends product lines and geographical barriers.”
Sun Chemical coatings product manager Bob O’Boyle said: “We’re developing new coating polymers. While many companies rely on commercially available polymers, Sun Chemical differentiates itself by developing proprietary polymers targeted for our specific industry and products.”
