Silicone Coatings Analysis

Insufficient or excessive silicone application on paper and plastic substrates can significantly alter the release characteristics of a product, such as labels or packaging. EDXRF is a widely used technique for analyzing silicone coatings because it offers a fast, simple, and cost-effective way to measure silicone coat weight in just seconds. It helps manufacturers ensure consistent product quality, minimize waste, and optimize production processes.

Whether you are in packaging, labeling, or any other industry using silicone coatings, EDXRF can be an invaluable tool for quality control and process improvement. With its ease of use, affordability, and ability to handle even very low silicone coating weights, EDXRF is an attractive choice for businesses of all sizes.

Learn more about our at-line and in-line solutions for determining silicone coating thicknesses or coat weight or the elemental composition of a product.

Silicone, element of interest for silicone coatings analysis applications.

Why choose EDXRF for silicone coat weight analysis?

 

EDXRF provides total quality control solutions

EDXRF, a type of XRF (X-ray fluorescence), has long been a familiar technology for release coatings, converters, vacuum-formed plastics manufacturers, and other industries using silicone oils as barrier layers, release coatings, or denesting agents.

  • Total quality control solution for silicone coaters
  • Silicone analysis on paper, clay-coated paper, and thin film release liners
    • Proprietary silicone on clay-coated paper algorithms
  • Specialty films — moisture and air barriers, including high-barrier packaging films
    • Printed, metalized, and non-metalized
  • Converters – silicone on plastic or paper
  • Vacuum-formed plastics – denesting silicone coatings
NEX QC Series benchtop EDXRF elemental analyzer with NEX LS for in-line silicone coat weight profiling.

At-line solutions

For quick at-line analysis, we offer NEX QC Series benchtop analyzers for measuring very low silicone coating weights and metal catalysts in silicone coatings. These systems are compact, do not require an external computer, and are self-maintained. They are a cost-effective solution and provide:

  • Rapid silicone coating thickness and composition
  • Ultra-low silicone coating weights
  • Measurement of Sn, Bi, Ti, Pt, etc., in metal-catalyzed silicone release coatings
  • Silicone determination without helium or special sample cups
  • Easy sample prep by simply placing a test coupon in the analysis chamber
  • Simple, easy operation and built-in printer for convenience
Rigaku NEX QC Series, benchtop EDXRF elemental analyzers.

In-line solutions

NEX LS provides an in-line solution for silicone coat weight profiling for roll-to-roll (R2R) applications. This system offers a detailed visualization of your entire coating process, allowing for immediate quality control decisions and process adjustments without stopping production. It provides:

  • Continuous monitoring and control, reducing at-line checks
  • Cross-direction and machine-direction data for the entire roll
  • Immediate defect detection as the roll is being produced
  • Roll reporting and data logging for traceability and audits
  • Easy automatic calibration and operation
  • Measurement capability for web widths up to 2365 mm
  • Consistent performance, regardless of substrate color or composition variations (e.g., clay-coated paper)
Rigaku NEX LS, in-line, real-time coat weight profiling for roll-to-roll applications.

See NEX LS in action

How does NEX LS work?

NEX LS features EDXRF technology, a non-destructive technique that offers valuable information about the material or products as they are being produced. NEX LS serves web applications by performing real-time silicone coat weight analysis.

The measuring head, mounted on a rigid beam, is equipped with a linear traversing mechanism ensuring constant head-to-surface distance. Where needed, the elemental composition of a coating is measured directly. In contrast, coat weight (or coating thickness) may be measured directly (where the counting rate for an element is proportional to thickness) or indirectly by measuring attenuation of some substrate element (where the counting rate is negatively correlated to thickness).

When the analytical head sweeps back and forth across a moving web, source X-rays enter the product, exciting atoms in the material. The elements in the coating excite and fluoresce characteristic X-rays back to the detector. Users can choose full scanning mode or fixed analysis positions. The scanner transmits these measurements to a console box and industrial touchscreen computer, and real-time data displays as a graphical cross-direction and machine-direction profile.

NEX LS analytical head using full scanning mode across a moving web.
Full scanning analysis
NEX LS analytical head using user-defined fixed analysis positions on a moving web.
Fixed analysis solutions

Application examples

Explore our application examples for silicone coatings.

Coated paper. Read EDXRF App Note 1140 - NEX QC - Silicone Coating on Paper and Plastic.
EDXRF1140 NEX QC - Silicone Coating on Paper and Plastic
Read Application Note >
Coated paper. Read EDXRF App Note 1422 - NEX QC+ - Silicone Coating on Paper and Plastic.
EDXRF1422 NEX QC+ - Silicone Coating on Paper and Plastic
Read Application Note >
Plastic food containers. Read EDXRF App Note 1559 - NEX QC+ - Low Silicone Coating on Plastic.
EDXRF1559 NEX QC+ - Low Silicone Coating on Plastic
Read Application Note >

Solutions for silicone coatings analysis

For quick at-line checks NEX QC Series

Recommended when you need an affordable system for measuring silicone coating thickness and composition. NEX QC and NEX QC+ feature touchscreen operation and built-in printers for added convenience. No external computer is required.

Rigaku NEX QC Series, benchtop EDXRF elemental analyzers.

For in-line analysis NEX LS

Recommended for continuous monitoring and control for roll-to-roll applications. This in-line EDXRF system provides valuable information about the coating’s properties or the product’s composition without stopping production. It provides real-time defect detection and lets you make immediate quality control decisions.

Rigaku NEX LS, in-line, real-time coat weight profiling for roll-to-roll applications.