AN IMPROVED COMBINATORIAL TESTING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COAT MATERIAL FORMULATIONS AND METHODS

摘要

A method of developing a new coating with desired performance characteristics (12), includes: (a) providing (13) an array of coating wells (14), each well configured for receiving a coating material having a known parameter; (b) placing (16) via an automated device (17) a coating material having the known parameter in each well (18), varying the parameter values in a plurality of wells; (c) correlating the value of the parameter for the coatings deposited in each of the wells with the position of the well in the array; (d) applying (19) a coating leveling force to the array to level the material in the wells via centrifuge (20), and optionally drying; (e) testing the coatings in the array to analyze (21) by detectors (5) the relationship between the position in the array and performance with regard to the property whereby the value of the parameter can be correlated (22) to the property performance, and the results entered in database (23), for selection for production (24). This screening method results in a substantial increase in the discovery rate of new coating materials.