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There are cases in materials manufacture and use where poor adhesion between dissimilar materials is an advantage rather than a drawback. PTFE non-stick coatings on frying pans is a typical example where weak adhesion is a distinct advantage coupled with the relatively high temperature resistance of the polymer. Mould release can be aided by materials additions or intermediate release films:- Mould Release Films in Composites Materials Remnant release films can be so thin that they can only be detected by surface analysis (link) techniques. FTIR (link) can be used to rapidly check the bulk composition of the release film polymer blends to insure the correct material is being used or control batch to batch variations. Surface segregation of the active fluorine containing part of the blend can be checked by XPS (link) or SIMS (link). Mould Release Agents Mould release agents are often used in the manufacture of plastic products, particularly in volume manufacturing. They are added to the polymer formulation or periodically applied to the inside of the die in injection moulding and vacuum forming to reduce the chance of the product sticking and ease ejection. Ultimately their use affects the process throughput. Too much release agent or plasticisers used to aid mould flow characteristics can interfere with the adherence of paints and glues (Link to Interface, Adhesives page. Surface analysis techniques XPS (link) and SIMS (link) are ideal for identifying their presence and tuning the amounts used in a process. FTIR (link) also can be used to identify the plasticiser and release agents used.
Figure. SIMS Spectrum of Typical Silicone Plasticiser on a Plastic Surface |
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