Scratch Testing
Resistance to abrasion and wear is an increasingly important property of the surface of modern materials. Specific paints and coatings are frequently developed that require detailed characterisation of their scratch resistance.
Single asperity scratching allows the mechanisms behind abrasive or ductile damage to be understood without the complexity of multiple asperity contacts. A range of conical diamond tips (apical angle from 35° to 150°) are drawn across the surface under constant, stepwise or progressively increasing load.
The morphology of the scratches is examined with a combination of microscopy and profilometry techniques. Scratch hardness values are calculated to generate a scratch map that depicts the behaviour of the surface under a complete range of working conditions.
Scratch testing can be automated to achieve Medium Throughput data generation.
Applications of scratch testing:
- Commercial polymers
- Paint and varnishes for the automotive industry
- Multilayered systems
- Application related performance
Related Services:
Contact us to see how Intertek can help your organization with Scratch Testing.